A new study shows a correlation between nausea and vomiting during pregnancy and the long-term neurocognitive development of those kids. Pediatric researcher Irena Nulman and her team at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto found that youngsters whose mothers suffered from morning sickness during pregnancy scored higher on some cognitive tests than did those whose mothers did not start their pregnant days throwing up. All children tested within the normal range, however.

One possible explanation could be differing hormone levels, Nulman says. According to one hypothesis, vomiting reduces caloric intake, decreasing insulin secretion. Low insulin, in turn, boosts levels of other hormones that are known to play a role in the de­velopment of a healthy placenta and a healthy blood supply to growing brains.

4 Comments

1. 1. c.harvey 05:52 PM 10/30/09

   If this depleted insulin secretion hypothesis is correct, wouldn't scientists also predict that babies born to diabetic mothers have higher cognitive functioning/smarter kids?

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2. 2. scruickshank1972 in reply to c.harvey 06:33 PM 10/31/09

   there could be some critical level where it would have the opposite effect or diminishing return.
   

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3. 3. hdstevensphd 02:15 PM 11/2/09

   Interesting...when pregnant with both my children I was bed-ridden and hospitalized due to violent and frequent vomitting for the first four months, and continued daily vomitting up to delivery. A nightmare. Both kids have tested IQ's above 140.

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4. 4. boa 09:34 PM 12/4/09

   I have one child - I did not experience morning sickness at all.
   
   Fwiw - I actually don't remember what his IQ was from his testing since he was tested in second grade and he's now in 7th, but he's gifted and has made straight As in the gifted program for four years running.
   
   I think associating morning sickness/hormonal balances with intelligence is highly presumptuous.
   
   Dads don't have morning sickness.
   
   I'd guess intelligence has a genetic factor. Then again, my mom never had morning sickness, so I'm probably just stupid.
   
   

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