Goal reached — thanks to you. And the impact is already underway.

Because of this incredible community, the clinical trial launched in July 2026. While we’ve met our initial fundraising goal, continued support will help expand this vital research and change the standard of care in preventing HG. You can still make a difference, every gift moves this important work forward.

"As someone who suffered from severe nausea and vomiting during my second pregnancy, I know that the condition is debilitating. My story had a happy ending. I was sick right up until the day I delivered, but I did give birth to a healthy baby girl. But other women have far worse experiences. Dehydration and malnutrition can require IV fluids, hospitalization, and even a feeding tube. Tragically, some babies do not make it to term. The condition has been called“torturous,” women effectively starving, with physical and mental health impacts long after the pregnancy is over. There is an urgent need for better treatment, and Dr. Fejzo's research has the potential to get us there."

— Carey Jones

What causes nausea and vomiting during pregnancy? Until recent years, doctors didn’t know. But recently, USC professor Dr. Marlena Fejzo made enormous breakthroughs on understanding nausea and vomiting during pregnancy. Her discovery of the gene that codes for the hormone GDF15 pointed to a genetic basis for severe morning sickness (HG).

In 1999, Dr. Fejzo had herself suffered from HG. Her doctor was dismissive, “suggesting that many women with HG exaggerate their symptoms for sympathy,” while she was fully incapacitated and rapidly losing weight. Tragically, her condition became too far advanced and she lost her baby at 15 weeks gestation. In the 25 years since, researching the condition has been Dr. Fejzo’s life’s work.

In December of 2023, the publication of her paper in Nature made national and even international headlines, explaining the mechanism of pregnancy nausea and vomiting for the first time. This work led her to be named one of Time Magazine’s “Women of the Year” in 2024.

Her work points to promising avenues for treatment. For the clinical trial, Dr. Fejzo intends to test whether the drug metformin, an existing Type 2 diabetes drug known to impact GDF15 levels, can function as a preventive therapy.Even better: Metformin has been used off-label to treat PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome), a common cause infertility, and thus has been shown to be safe in pregnant women. 

However, in the year since, she faced numerous hurdles in securing funding for this clinical trial. Since she believes that metformin – an existing, generic drug – has the greatest potential as a preventative therapy, pharmaceutical companies don’t have a profit motive. Meanwhile, Dr. Fejzo’s area of focus is so underrepresented – she is the only full-time HG researcher in the country – grant review boards do not have the expertise to review her applications, and she has been denied seven different grants. Women’s health concerns are often under-studied and under-funded, and this is no exception. 

We extend our deepest thanks to our phase one donors, whose contributions range from $25 to $100,000. Every dollar makes a difference! 

Make a gift today to support Dr. Fejzo's research. To donate by check, donor-advised fund, appreciated stocks, or similar, please reach out to Karen Thomas via email (Karen.Thomas@med.usc.edu ) or phone at (323) 442-7230 to facilitate.