Hormone that causes morning sickness identified, could lead to better treatments

The nausea and vomiting that often define the first trimester of pregnancy are primarily caused by a single hormone, according to a study published Wednesday in the journal Nature. Researchers said that the discovery could lead to better treatments for morning sickness, including rare, life-threatening cases of it. The study confirms prior research that had pointed to the hormone, called GDF15. The researchers found that the amount of hormone circulating in a woman's blood during pregnancy - as well as her exposure to it before pregnancy - drives the severity of her symptoms.