What is the NVP Genetics Consortium?
NVP stands for nausea and vomiting during pregnancy. The NVP Genetics Consortium is an open collaborative project that aims to identify the causes of nausea and vomiting during pregnancy, with special focus on genetic risk factors. While the causes remain unclear, previous studies have shown that NVP is heritable, which encouraged us to start this research project.
Early consortium efforts started at the QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute (QIMR), Brisbane, Australia, in 2013. Currently, the Consortium brings together researchers from Australia, Finland, Spain, the United Kingdom and Denmark. The Consortium is actively recruiting new members.
Why the NVP Genetics Consortium?
Nausea and vomiting during pregnancy (NVP), commonly known as morning sickness, is the most common condition in pregnancy, affecting around 70% of pregnant women to different degrees. NVP is associated with favorable fetal outcome in terms of decreased risk of miscarriages, congenital malformations, prematurity, and developmental achievements. However, NVP also affects the physical health of pregnant women and can also affect their psychosocial functioning, with consequences in both personal and professional domains that may result in a lower health-related quality of life. More severe forms and the development of hyperemesis gravidarum (HG), defined as persistent and excessive vomiting, with dehydration, ketonuria and > 5% bodyweight loss, may lead to health consequences for the mother and the offspring exposed in utero. HG is present in 1% of pregnancies. The collaboration between the researchers in the NVP Genetics Consortium confers an exceptional possibility to conduct a systematic examination of the etiology of NVP and HG in large samples. We expect our collaborative work will result in a better prediction of which women will be at risk for NVP and HG and the development of more effective interventions along with treatments that will directly prevent the progression from moderate to severe NVP or HG.
