In this episode of Yoga | Birth | Babies, I’m joined by Dr. Marlena Fejzo, a leading women’s health scientist and researcher. Dr. Fejzo is best known for discovering the first genes linked to uterine fibroids, nausea and vomiting of pregnancy, and hyperemesis gravidarum, and has published extensively on diseases affecting women. She is an Assistant Professor at the University of Southern California and an internationally recognized leader in women’s health research.
I was immediately struck by Dr. Fejzo’s depth of knowledge and knew she would be the perfect guest to explore hyperemesis gravidarum—what it is, how common it is, and why greater understanding and compassion are so needed. My hope is that this episode helps begin that shift.
In this episode you will learn about:
- About Dr. Fejzo and what first drew her into researching hyperemesis gravidarum
- What hyperemesis gravidarum is, and how it differs from “normal” morning sickness
- What the research says about the causes of HG, and if there is a genetic or hormonal component
- How common HG is, and why some people are affected while others are not
- The impact HG typically has on mental health and family life
- Why, historically, HG hasn’t always been taken seriously in medical settings, and what is changing now
- What Dr. Fejzo wished every healthcare provider understood about hyperemesis gravidarum
- What treatments are currently available, and how effective they are
- How HG can affect pregnancy outcomes, both for the birthing parent and the baby
- The likelihood of HG recurring in future pregnancies, if it’s happened in formative pregnancies
- Advice for someone currently navigating HG, who feels dismissed or unsupported by their provider
- What role partners, family, and community can play in supporting someone with HG
- Resources that Dr. Fejzo recommends for patients and their families
- One final tip or piece of advice Dr. Fejzo would like to offer new and expectant parents
- Where you can find her work
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About Dr. Fejzo:
Marlena Fejzo is a women’s health scientist who has published peer-reviewed articles on many diseases of women including ovarian and breast cancer, multiple sclerosis, and discovered the first genes for uterine fibroids, nausea and vomiting of pregnancy (NVP), and hyperemesis gravidarum (HG). Fejzo is an Assistant Professor at the University of Southern California, Chief Scientific Officer of The Morning Sickness and HG Clinic, Research Director and Board Member of the HER Foundation, Board Member of the Foundation for Women’s Health, and an advisor for NGMBio. Fejzo is a 2024 Time Woman of the Year and Time 100 Health Honoree, received the National Organization of Women Victoria Mastrobuono Award in Women’s Health, Forbes 50 Over 50 award in Innovation, Falling Walls Breakthrough of the Year Finalist, and was the inaugural BII & Science Translational Medicine Prize for Innovations in Women’s Health winner.
Connect with Dr. Fejzo:
Instagram: mfejzo1
Check out similar Yoga| Birth| Babies episodes:
- Don’t forget to grab your FREE guide, 5 Simple Solutions to the Most Common Pregnancy Pains HERE
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