UCLA Study Links โคMorning Sickness to Healthy Immune Response โDuring pregnancy
A new UCLA study releasedโ Thursday reveals a connection between morning sickness -โค including nausea, vomiting, and food/smell aversions – and the bodyS complexโข immuneโ response during pregnancy. Researchers believe theseโ ofen-uncomfortable symptoms are actually adaptive mechanisms โคthat protect bothโ mother and developing fetus.
Duringโ earlyโฃ pregnancy,the mother’sโ immune system faces a unique challenge: defending against infection while concurrently preventing rejection of theโ fetus,whichโ shares genetic material โfrom both parents. according to UCLA anthropology professor Molly Fox, “Normally, the immuneโ system attacks anything that seems foreign, so in pregnancy, โit has to carefully adjust to keep the fetus safe while still defending against infection.”
The study suggests a delicate balance isโค achieved through a โขmix of inflammatory responses.โค These responses help the โขmother tolerate the fetus, while symptomsโ like nausea likelyโข encourage avoidance of perhaps harmful foods, notablyโ during the vulnerable first and second trimesters.
Researchers, comprised of anthropologists and epidemiologists, analyzed blood samples from 58 Latina women in Southern California, measuring levels of cytokines – proteins that regulate inflammation and โขimmune response. Participants also โcompletedโ questionnairesโ detailing theirโ experiences with morning โsickness symptoms and food/smell aversions throughout their pregnancies.
The โฃNational Institutes of Health reports that up to 80% of pregnant women experience some form of morning sickness. While uncomfortable, these symptoms are generally not indicative of a problem and may, actually, be a sign of a healthy pregnancy.โ
UCLA highlights that understanding morning sickness as a normal physiologicalโค response โcould have positive implications for pregnant women inโ theโฃ workplace, reducing stigma andโ encouragingโค reasonable accommodations.
