While almost all women experience nausea and vomiting during pregnancy, few are debilitated by severe symptoms: a condition known as hyperemesis gravidarum (HG). HG has been stigmatized and neglected by the biomedical community, with limited research funding for developing effective treatments. In this episode of Beyond the Abstract, Derek and Dan tell the remarkable story of one scientist who experienced HG herself, and her decades-long journey to find a cure. 

Articles discussed

Her Doctor Said Her Illness Was All in Her Head. This Scientist Was Determined to Find the Truth. Alice Callahan. New York Times, 2023. (https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/14/well/marlena-fejzo-hyperemesis-gravidarum.html)

GDF15 linked to maternal risk of nausea and vomiting during pregnancy. Fejzo et al. 2023. Nature. (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-023-06921-9).

Placenta and appetite genes GDF15 and IGFBP7 are associated with hyperemesis gravidarum. Fejzo et al. 2018. Nature Communications. (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-018-03258-0)

The information presented here is not medical advice. Consult your physician for any questions regarding your personal health.