Excessive Nausea and Vomiting During Early Pregnancy Runs in Families

Women whose mothers experienced hyperemesis gravidarum were at threefold excess risk for the condition themselves.

Hyperemesis gravidarum (HG; excessive nausea and vomiting in pregnancy, starting before gestational week 22) is associated with weight loss, dehydration, and nutritional deficiencies. The condition's etiology is unknown; however, genetic factors might play a role. Accordingly, investigators used the Norwegian birth registry from 1967 through 2006 to assess HG recurrence in 544,000 pairs of mothers and daughters and 400,000 pairs of mothers and female partners of sons.

Daughters of women who experienced HG had threefold higher risk for the condition than did daughters of women who did not have HG (3.00% vs. 1.06%). Female partners of sons, however, had similar risk for HG whether the sons' mothers had the condition (1.18%) or not (1.13%). Exc…

Reviewing Author

Wendy S. Biggs, MD

Excessive Nausea and Vomiting During Early Pregnancy Runs in Families

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Reviewing Author