Her Breakthrough in Science Could Put an End to Morning Sickness

Unfortunately, the necessary support from NIH is missing.

Pregnancy-related nausea, accompanied by vomiting, is a condition known to humans for millennia. The ancient Greeks documented it around 4,000 years ago. Meanwhile, the Romans inaccurately theorized that male fetuses were the culprit behind increased maternal nausea and recommended fasting for a day coupled with a hot wine bath as remedies.

The 1960s saw medical professionals prescribing more promising pharmaceutical solutions to manage this ailment. However, the introduction of thalidomide, which led to congenital disabilities in the offspring of parents who used it, resulted in a significant hesitation to further research pregnancy-associated nausea.

The journey to uncover why some expectant individuals experience greater sickness than others begins with the story of a woman from the 1990s.

A geneticist named Marlena Fejzo personally confronted a severe form of pregnancy nausea, known as hyperemesis gravidarum. Finding a scarcity of scientific explanations in the existing research, she resolved to investigate the cause on her own.

Although her expertise wasn't initially aligned with pregnancy nausea, Fejzo, who lacked formal funding, adopted a do-it-yourself method for her research. She deployed an online survey during the early internet era, retrieving numerous responses via fax from individuals who encountered hyperemesis, hinting at a genetic component.

In a recent episode of the podcast 'Unexplainable,' there is an exploration of Dr. Fejzo's pregnancy experiences and her journey towards identifying a biological origin and treatment for pregnancy nausea. This episode can be accessed through your preferred podcast platform.