Doctors “dismiss” pregnant women who struggle with severe morning sickness and tell them their symptoms are “normal and harmless” when they can be life-threatening, a leading expert has warned.
Up to three percent of women suffer from hyperemesis gravidarum (HG), a debilitating form of the disease during pregnancy.
The Princess of Wales suffered from it and this life-threatening condition can cause illness dozens of times a day and some women end up being hospitalized with severe dehydration.
Geneticist Marlena Fejzo of the University of Southern California suffered from HG when she was pregnant and now wants to dispel myths about morning sickness.
He said pregnant women with this condition essentially “starve,” due to the fact that they cannot eat or keep food down.
The Princess of Wales, pictured with her first child, Prince George, was hospitalized due to hyperemesis gravidarum during her pregnancies.
Pregnant women with this condition essentially “starve,” due to the fact that they cannot eat or keep food down.
Comedian Amy Schumer, 42, and Coronation Street actress Helen Flanagan, 33, also suffered severe morning sickness during their pregnancies.
A growing number of studies show that this can have serious short- and long-term consequences for both mother and child.
A quarter of women with HG have suicidal thoughts due to debilitating symptoms, while 18 percent meet full criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder.
However, they are often fired by their medical teams and families.
In an opinion piece published in the journal Cell Press, she wrote: ‘Nausea and vomiting affect most pregnant women.
“At the severe end of the clinical spectrum, HG can be life-threatening. The disease is plagued by misconceptions that have slowed progress and left women without treatment.
‘It is disconcerting that in the case of HG the emphasis on proper nutrition during pregnancy for the overall health of mother and baby has historically been overlooked.
«Patients often leave the hospital weighing less than when they entered. The condition is associated with significant malnutrition and patients generally cannot tolerate prenatal supplements.’
He added that recent large studies reveal that HG exposure has been linked to a child having an increased risk of abnormal brain growth, delayed neurodevelopment, autism spectrum disorder, childhood cancer and respiratory disorders.
“A lot of people are ignored and told, ‘Oh, that’s normal, that’s fine,'” he said.
“HG can be life-threatening and is associated with adverse outcomes that should be taken seriously.”
A recent study, conducted by Dr. Fejzo and his colleagues, found that the hormone responsible for this severe morning sickness is one called GDF15, dispelling another myth that suggested a different hormone was to blame.
People with HG may have genetic variants that cause them to have lower levels of GDF15 before pregnancy, making them more sensitive when they become pregnant and are suddenly exposed to high levels.
This finding is important because preliminary research suggests it may be safe to manipulate this hormone during or even before pregnancy, Dr. Fejzo said.
“If we can increase GDF15 levels before a woman becomes pregnant, that could desensitize her, similar to how we try to desensitize people to allergens who have severe allergies,” he said.
“And during pregnancy, we may be able to minimize or eliminate symptoms by blocking GDF15 or its receptors in the brainstem.”
The final myth it aims to dispel is that only humans experience morning sickness, as these symptoms have been observed throughout the animal kingdom, from monkeys, dogs and cats to chickens, snakes and octopuses.
“I always think it’s interesting that the recommendation for cats is that if they can’t eat for a day, they should contact their veterinarian, but we don’t have that recommendation for women with HG,” she said.
‘If you call your doctor’s office and say you haven’t eaten in a day, they will tell you “that’s normal” and do nothing. There is more proactive care for cats than for humans.’
She believes pregnancy-induced nausea probably evolved to prevent dangerous foraging trips.
“This condition probably evolved because it was probably beneficial to avoid going out for food during pregnancy,” he added.
“This may still be true for animals, but people don’t need it anymore, so if we can, let’s end the suffering once and for all.”