Severe morning sickness is caused by an identified protein combination, and a treatment targeting it is currently in clinical trials.
"there's actually a cure for morning sickness that's in trials cuz we identified the specific protein combination that causes severe morning sickness." (said at 2:16:15)
Genetic and mechanistic studies have established that severe morning sickness (hyperemesis gravidarum) is primarily driven by fetal production of the hormone/protein GDF15 (growth and differentiation factor 15) acting on maternal brainstem receptors, combined with maternal sensitivity determined partly by prepregnancy exposure. Earlier genome-wide association studies also implicated IGFBP7 alongside GDF15. Describing this discovery as identifying a 'protein combination' is an oversimplification, and asserting that a 'cure' is currently in clinical trials is overstated: while researchers have proposed preventive strategies (such as prepregnancy GDF15 desensitization or metformin) and therapeutic targets (GDF15/GFRAL blockade), these remain in preclinical, observational, or early investigational stages rather than proven cures.
- context: Placenta and appetite genes GDF15 and IGFBP7 are associated with hyperemesis gravidarum. (Nature communications 2018)
"Two loci, chr19p13.11 and chr4q12, are genome-wide significant (p < 5 × 10 -8 ) in both association scans and are replicated in an independent cohort. The genes implicated at these two loci are GDF15 and IGFBP7 respectively, both known to be involved in placentation, appetite, and cachexia." (abstract, results, passage verified)
pubmedfull study (doi) - supports: GDF15 linked to maternal risk of nausea and vomiting during pregnancy. (Nature 2024)
"Our findings support a putative causal role for fetally derived GDF15 in the nausea and vomiting of human pregnancy, with maternal sensitivity, at least partly determined by prepregnancy exposure to the hormone, being a major influence on its severity. They also suggest mechanism-based approaches to the treatment and prevention of HG." (abstract, results, passage verified)
pubmedfull study (doi) - context: Prepregnancy metformin use associated with lower risk of severe nausea and vomiting of pre… (American journal of obstetrics and gynecology 2025)
"Metformin, which is routinely used before and after conception, may be a safe and affordable treatment to offer patients with a history of hyperemesis gravidarum to decrease the chance of reoccurrence. Clinical trials are warranted to investigate metformin use before pregnancy to lower the risk for hyperemesis gravidarum, thereby mitigating the associated adverse maternal and offspring outcomes." (abstract, conclusions, passage verified)
pubmedfull study (doi)