HYPEREMESIS EDUCATION & RESEARCH FOUNDATION
The global voice of HG.
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Due to lack of knowledge and research, hyperemesis gravidarum, HG, a pregnancy condition characterized by severe nausea and vomiting, leads to weight loss, dehydration and malnutrition. HG is one of the top 2 causes of hospitalization during pregnancy and results in a high fetal loss rates and numerous maternal complications including trauma, premature birth and pre-eclampsia, as well as risks of adverse effects on the child including neurodevelopmental delays, autism, behavioral and emotional disorders and sensory processing disorders. The cost of hospital and emergency care increases annually and exceeds $3 billion. With aggressive and proactive care using assessment and treatment resources HER has developed, downstream maternal and child effects can be reduced.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
USC HG Research
HER has been working with USC's Keck School of Medicine for over 10 years and has helped bring HG research participants into the program as well as fund over $60K in research. Through this research collaboration, over 35 medical journal articles have been published and clinical trials continue in the legacy of T. Murphy Goodwin, MD. Many are groundbreaking studies on topics including incidence of PTSD, psychosocial impact, termination rates, adverse child outcomes, and genetic causes lead by Dr. Marlena Fejzo.
Education & Awareness & Advocacy
Develop tools to improve diagnosis and treatment so women receive the care they need to survive their pregnancies without complications for mother and child. These tools to date include multilingual brochures, assessment tools, and the HG Care App.
Policy & Advocacy for HG
Development of policies and improved treatment protocols through collaboration with medical societies and health organizations.
Where we work
External reviews

Photos
Videos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of unique website visitors
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Education & Awareness & Advocacy
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of research studies conducted
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
USC HG Research
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Number of website sessions
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Education & Awareness & Advocacy
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Reports and documents
Download strategic planLearn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
The HER Foundation’s mission is to advance hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) research and policy initiatives, and provide education and support to those seeking effective management strategies for hyperemesis gravidarum (HG). The HER Foundation is the voice of support and hope to all who are faced with managing HG. *HG is severe nausea and vomiting of pregnancy that can be life-threatening and cause dehydration, malnutrition and other complications for mother and child.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
The HER Foundation partners with leading universities for research and app development and has a highly educated Board of Directors that guides its work. HER creates tools and resources to educate both families and health professionals, speaks and exhibits at obstetrical conferences, and engages with organizations to develop policies and resources that improve the care of women with HG around the world. HER also personally supports tens of thousands of families each year across the globe on social media platforms and direct support. Additionally HER volunteers offer personal support as well.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
The HER Foundation partners with leading universities for research and app development and has a highly educated Board of Directors with expertise and HG experience that guides its work. All are professionals in a scientific, business or technology industry, and several have corporate or university affiliations that support the foundation in some way. With these universities, HER has helped identify the first genes associated with the cause of HG. HER also has several hundred volunteers across the globe that provide emotional support of families facing HG. HER has a staff of 2, plus its founders and Board Members that are actively involved. The Executive Director co-founded the organization and has been a director since the Foundation started as a website in 2000. She has been a registered nurse for over 30 years and survived 2 HG pregnancies. She has worked with Dr. Marlena Fejzo, a Harvard-trained geneticist and leading HG scientist, for 20 years on HG research. Dr. Aimee Brecht-Doscher, a board-certified OBGYN in Los Angeles, is one of HER's medical advisors and actively involved in developing resources and offering support. Several leadership, staff, volunteers, and Board Members have been working with the HER Foundation for 10+ years. This has built enormous expertise and consistency that gives HER an excellent reputation for credibility and makes HER the leading source for HG information and resources.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
Since 2000, HER has helped reduce maternal morbidity and mortality, as well as fetal loss and adverse child outcomes through education, support, and innovative resources that improve maternal healthcare. HER has personally supported and consulted with many thousands of HG patients across the globe. In partnership with UCLA and USC, HER has conducted genetic studies identifying causes of HG, and published many studies on the impact and outcomes associated with HG.
Accomplishments:
- Termination rate decreased from 15% to 6% with support and resources.
- Over 40 published papers providing groundbreaking findings such as causes, impact and treatments.
- Education of health professionals at multiple obstetrical, health and genetics conferences.
- Over 2 million website visitors accessing innovative HG resources.
- Collaboration with HHS and Texas HHS on HG strategies; congressional briefing.
- Development and distribution of assessment and treatment tools for medical professionals.
- Launch of free HG Care app with UCLA mHealth.
- Documentary on HG to increase awareness started.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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Who are the people you serve with your mission?
Medical societies, health professionals, mental health professionals, families, researchers, and anyone educating on the effects of pregnancy complications.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals
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What significant change resulted from feedback?
Community members reported their OB would only look at one piece of paper, so we consolidated key information from across resources and our website into a single document. They also could not understand the treatment algorithm we developed for health professionals, so we developed a more lay-person version for them. Both resources are posted in PDFs on the website for free use. We continually update and develop additional materials for the community in multiple languages and vary the graphics to be more inclusive. We incorporate our community's personal photos into social media, communications, and our website to better represent those we serve.
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on demographics (e.g., race, age, gender, etc.), We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive, We tell the people who gave us feedback how we acted on their feedback, We ask the people who gave us feedback how well they think we responded
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback, It is difficult to find the ongoing funding to support feedback collection
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
HYPEREMESIS EDUCATION & RESEARCH FOUNDATION
Board of directorsas of 09/10/2022
Kelly Ryerson
HER Foundation
Term: 2021 -
Spencer Richards
HER Foundation
Term: 2021 -
Marlena Fejzo
USC/Materna
Aimee Brecht-Doscher
Ventura County Health
April Horsley
Germany
Kristina Kincaid
Booz Allen Hamilton
Patrick Mullin
USC
Linda Newgent
Optum Healthcare
Spencer Richards
Mayo Clinic
Amy Schumer
Actress
Margarita Valdez
American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
Equity strategies
Last updated: 08/10/2022GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.