Suffering from morning sickness? You’re MORE likely to be expecting a girl, study shows
SEVERE morning sickness could signal a mum-to-be is expecting a girl, say scientists.
The study, conducted by Ohio State University, US, followed 80 women across the course of their pregnancy. The findings showed those carrying daughters produced more pro-inflammatory cytokines, chemicals that go overboard when bacteria is present.
The increase in chemicals puts extra stress on the mother's body and can contribute to the serious sickness hyperemesis gravidarum, the illness the Duchess of Cambridge suffered from in both her pregancies.
Dr Amanda Mitchell, who led the study, said: "While women did not exhibit differences in blood cytokine levels based on foetal sex, we did find the immune cells of women carrying female foetuses produced more pro-inflammatory cytokines when exposed to bacteria.
"This means women carrying female foetuses exhibited a heightened inflammatory response when their immune system was challenged, compared to women carrying male foetuses."
Inflammation is a critical part of the immune response needed for wound healing and responses to viruses and bacteria.
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But high levels of inflammation can be stressful to the mother’s body and in turn contribute to illnesses such as achiness and fatigue.
The heightened inflammation observed among women pregnant with girls could also explain why they experience worse symptoms of medical conditions, such as asthma, when carrying a female rather than a male foetus.
Dr Mitchell said it is possible the hormones in the placenta affect maternal inflammation levels. She suggested healthy eating and relaxation as a way to maintain a well-balanced immune system.
"Research has shown exercise supports healthy immune functioning as does eating some foods, like leafy greens, and relaxing with activities like meditation.
“It is important to think about supporting healthy immune function, which does not necessarily mean boosting it - it is problematic to have too little or too great of an immune response.”
Severe morning sickness affects about one in 100 expectant mothers, causing intense nausea and vomiting.
The Duchess of Cambridge suffered from hyperemesis gravidarum during both her pregnancies, requiring treatment when she was expecting George and, then again, with Charlotte.
One in three pregnancies with morning sickness result in miscarriage. Treatment typically includes an injection of the drug heparin to protect against blood clots triggered by dehydration, as well as supplementation of vitamin B, one of the nutrients most depleted by the condition.