USC Research Identifies New Genetic Links to Severe Pregnancy Sickness, Offering Hope for Treatment
A research team from the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California (USC) has identified nine new genes associated with hyperemesis gravidarum (HG), a severe form of pregnancy sickness. This discovery was made through a large-scale genome-wide association study (GWAS) involving over 10,000 women with HG and more than 450,000 controls from diverse ancestries. Led by Marlena Fejzo, PhD, the study builds on previous research linking the GDF15 gene to HG, revealing that six of the newly identified genes had not been previously associated with the condition. The findings, published in Nature Genetics, suggest potential pathways for prediction, diagnosis, and treatment of HG, which affects about 2% of pregnancies and can lead to severe malnourishment and other health risks for both mother and child. 
