Researchers have found a link between increased levels of a hormone and nausea during pregnancy (including morning sickness). The results published in the journal Nature shed light on these complex metabolic processes and offer potential avenues for treatment going forward.
The majority of pregnancies (70%) are affected by nausea and vomiting, which can progress to a severe form known as hyperemesis gravidarum (HG). The hormone growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15) has previously been implicated in morning sickness in previous literature; however, the underlying mechanism has yet to be described.
Dr. Stephen O’Rahilly from the University of Cambridge and others measured levels of GDF15 in expectant mothers in their first trimester and found a notable link between elevated levels of GDF15 and reported nausea and vomiting (including hyperemesis gravidarum). Further analysis of placental and maternal samples revealed that the foetus is responsible for the vast majority of the hormone circulating in the maternal plasma. The authors also found that lower levels of GDF15 prior to pregnancy are associated with a higher risk of developing hyperemesis gravidarum. Conversely, women with beta-thalassaemia (a condition in which GDF15 levels are chronically high) rarely reported nausea and vomiting in pregnancy. These results suggest that those with lower levels of GDF15 before pregnancy may be more sensitive to the increased levels of the hormone during pregnancy, and thus more affected by the sickness that it triggers.
