For decades severe morning sickness was misunderstood. Many believed it was simply a normal part of the hormonal shifts during pregnancy. But those who experience it know it is anything but normal. The relentless nausea, dehydration, and in some cases, hospitalization is well beyond the typical morning sickness experienced during most pregnancies.
This mismatch led to stigma, a frustrating lack of medical support, and a lack of research into causes and treatments.
23andMe’s research platform is helping to change this. A 2018 research collaboration helped uncover some of the genetics behind severe morning sickness. Now we are going beyond that initial research to deliver personalized insights through the new Severe Morning Sickness* report. This new report lets female 23andMe+ Premium™ and Total Health™ members know if their genetics puts them at an increased likelihood of experiencing severe morning sickness during pregnancy, so they can plan ahead and seek support for symptoms early.
The role of DNA
In 2018, researchers at 23andMe collaborated on the first large-scale genetic study on the most severe form of morning sickness known as hyperemesis gravidarum (HG). That study found genetic variants in two genes—GDF15 and IGFBP7—were associated with HG.
Now, thanks to the data from more than half a million consented 23andMe research participants, we generated a polygenic risk score (PRS) that takes into account the impact of thousands of genetic variants (along with genetic ancestry) to predict the likelihood of experiencing severe morning sickness during pregnancy.
If you’re interested in learning more about the methodology behind 23andMe’s PRS technology, there is a published white paper that fully details the science.
More About Severe Morning Sickness
Unlike typical morning sickness—which is common and usually improves after the first three months—severe morning sickness can persist throughout pregnancy; this can lead to dehydration, weight loss, and nutritional deficiencies, which may impact the health of the pregnant person and growth of the baby if left untreated. In addition to genetics, other factors, such as a personal or family history of severe morning sickness, being prone to motion sickness, or having migraines, can increase the chances of experiencing severe morning sickness.
While there is no sure way to prevent morning sickness, certain lifestyle habits, such as adjusting your diet, getting plenty of rest, and staying hydrated, may help manage or reduce the severity of symptoms. In very severe cases, a hospital stay can help restore hydration and nutrition. Knowing about the chances of experiencing severe morning sickness may help pregnant people plan for ways to manage symptoms or get prompt medical attention, if needed.
Learn more
Eligible 23andMe members can view this report with their other Wellness reports.
Not a 23andMe+ Premium member yet? Learn more about what 23andMe has to offer here.
NOTE: Within this blog post, we use the word “female” to refer to people whose birth sex is female. However, we recognize that being categorized by birth sex may be an uncomfortable experience for some people, and we do not mean to delegitimize anyone’s gender identity. Learn more about why we made this decision in this help article.
* The 23andMe Severe Morning Sickness PRS report is based on a genetic model that includes data and insights from 23andMe consented research participants and incorporates more than 4,000 genetic variants to provide information on the likelihood of developing severe morning sickness. The report does not describe a person’s overall likelihood, does not account for lifestyle or family history and has not been reviewed by the US Food and Drug Administration. The Severe Morning Sickness PRS report is not intended to tell you anything about your current state of health, or to be used to make medical decisions or determine any treatment.
