Morning Sickness News and Research

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Morning sickness, also called nausea gravidarum, nausea, vomiting of pregnancy (emesis gravidarum or NVP), or pregnancy sickness is a condition that affects more than half of all pregnant women, as well as some women who use hormonal contraception or hormone replacement therapy. Usually, it is present in the early hours of the morning and reduces as the day progresses. The nausea can be mild or induce actual vomiting. In extreme cases, vomiting may be severe enough to cause dehydration, weight loss, alkalosis and hypokalemia.

Women with hyperemesis gravidarum report major gaps in care

Medical assistance can help women suffering from severe nausea and vomiting during pregnancy, but insufficient recognition of Hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) means that many are not getting the help they need to overcome this severe and debilitating form of morning sickness.

17 Sep 2026

Limited PBS coverage widens pregnancy nausea treatment disparities in Australia

Pregnant women in Australia are facing an unfair two-tiered system for managing morning sickness, with financial status impacting who can access the full range of modern anti-nausea medications available, rather than simply clinical need.

5 Aug 2026

Hyperemesis gravidarum increases risks for pregnancy and birth complications

Pregnant women with a severe form of nausea face increased risks for several pregnancy and birth complications, according to a new Stanford Medicine study of 2.5 million California births.

22 Jun 2026

Ongoing nausea in pregnancy may flag anxiety and depression risk

Persistent or severe nausea during pregnancy was linked to higher maternal anxiety and depressive symptoms across gestation. The study found little consistent evidence that nausea worsened most perinatal outcomes, suggesting it may serve mainly as a clinical warning sign for psychological burden.

25 May 2026

Study identifies new genes linked to severe pregnancy sickness

The USC research team that recently identified the hormone-encoding gene GDF15 as a key driver of pregnancy sickness has identified 9 additional genes linked to its most severe form, hyperemesis gravidarum (HG).

14 Apr 2026

Study finds most YouTube advice on morning sickness lacks scientific evidence and some may pose risks

Researchers analysed highly viewed YouTube videos on nausea and vomiting in pregnancy and found most recommendations lacked strong scientific evidence. Some advice appeared potentially unsafe, highlighting the need for clearer evidence-based guidance for pregnant women online.

23 Feb 2026

While politicos dispense blame, these doctors aim to take shame out of medicine

The distress that Will Bynum later recognized as shame settled over him nearly immediately.

5 Nov 2025

UCLA study links morning sickness to immune system changes in early pregnancy

UCLA researchers have uncovered a link between "morning sickness" symptoms and the body's natural, but complex, inflammatory response to biological and bodily changes during pregnancy.

24 Sep 2025

Extreme morning sickness found to carry heavy emotional and physical burden

A new study reveals the profound emotional and physical toll of extreme morning sickness, with more than half of affected women reporting they considered terminating their pregnancy, and 9 in 10 saying they had thought about not having more children.

3 Sep 2025

Dispensary warning signs about cannabis use during pregnancy found ineffective

Warning signs at dispensaries about the potential health effects of cannabis use in pregnancy may not be effective, according to a new report in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, based at Rutgers University.

6 Feb 2025

Prenatal cannabis exposure linked to increased risk of opioid addiction later in life

With the increased legalization of recreational cannabis, as many as 1 in 5 pregnant women in the U.S. are now using the drug to help with morning sickness, lower back pain or anxiety.

14 Nov 2024

Mouse studies suggest gestational CBD exposure alters offspring behavior and brain function

Cannabidiol (CBD), one of the active ingredients in cannabis, is thought to be safe as it does not cause a "high".

24 Jun 2024

Understanding hyperemesis gravidarum: Causes, diagnosis, and treatment

Severe morning sickness in pregnancy, known medically as hyperemesis gravidarum, can negatively affect both maternal and infant health.

15 Apr 2024

Study explores how cannabis use affects breast milk and lactation

Study reviews the impact of cannabis use during pregnancy and lactation, highlighting potential changes in breast milk composition and lactation due to cannabinoid effects.

3 Apr 2024

Most states ban shackling pregnant women in custody, yet many report being restrained

Ashley Denney was about seven months pregnant in 2022 when police handcuffed her during an arrest in Carroll County, Georgia.

17 Nov 2023

Stanford chemists uncover new pathway for protein degradation, opening door to new therapeutics

When targeting problem proteins involved in causing or spreading disease, a drug will often clog up a protein's active site so it can't function and wreak havoc.

25 Oct 2023

THC use during pregnancy could lead to life-long health impacts for offspring

Oregon Health & Science University researchers showed that consuming THC while pregnant could potentially affect development of the fetus and lead to life-long health impacts for offspring.

6 Jul 2023

Researchers examine how timing of cannabis exposure during pregnancy impacts fetal development

As more people use cannabis for recreational purposes, attitudes towards the drug have changed. For example, research has shown that dispensaries often recommend cannabis – also referred to as marijuana – to pregnant women to ease pregnancy symptoms, especially morning sickness.

13 May 2023

Can a fetus be an employee? States are testing the boundaries of personhood after ‘Dobbs’

Kaitlyn Anderson was six months pregnant when a driver killed her and a Missouri Department of Transportation colleague in 2021 while they were doing roadwork near St. Louis. Her fetus also died.

5 May 2023

In utero exposure to anti-nausea drug shown to increase risk of adult-onset colorectal cancer

Prenatal exposure to an anti-nausea drug commonly used in the 1960s and 1970s has been shown to increase risk of colorectal cancer in adult offspring, according to a study by researchers at UTHealth Houston.

10 Mar 2023