Researchers in the Departments of Psychiatry, Obstetrics, and Gynecology at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus have released a report stating, "Pregnant women who take extra choline supplements may mitigate the negative impact that viral respiratory infections, including COVID-19, can have on their babies".
For many of us who may not know, Choline is a vitamin B nutrient. It is found in a variety of foods and dietary supplements. Most importantly it is critical to fetal brain development. What's the relationship between Coronavirus and fetal brain development? Since COVID-19 is like other common corona respiratory viruses, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) believes that COVID-19 will impact fetal brain development.
A recent study published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research looked at whether higher prenatal Choline levels can help protect the fetus's developing brain even if the mother contracts a viral respiratory infection (such as COVID-19) in early pregnancy. The results indicate that higher prenatal Choline levels reduce the effects of the virus on the fetus.
Pregnant women are often advised to start taking a prenatal vitamin which includes extra nutrients for both themselves and their baby. Robert Freedman, MD, professor of psychiatry at the CU Anschutz Medical Campus and lead researcher reiterates the importance of expecting mothers to be aware that natural nutrients like Choline can and should be taken during pregnancy. Protecting your baby from brain development issues as well as any other condition is at the forefront of every mother's mind.
In the same study researchers look at the effects on infant behaviour if the mother did in fact have a respiratory virus. They did this by measuring the infant's "IBQ-R Regulation dimension" which looks at the development of infant attention and other self-regulatory behaviours. A lower IBQ-R Regulation at one year of age is what you want to avoid. It is associated with problems in both attention and social behaviour in later childhood. These behaviors include decreased reading readiness at age four years and with problems in concentration in children through age seven.
The study's results were clear. "Taking Choline supplements along with other prenatal vitamins may help buffer the fetal brain from the possible detrimental impact of the current pandemic and decrease the risk of the children's future mental illness." Infants of mothers who had viral infections, but had been taking increased amounts of Choline had significantly higher 3-month IBQ-R scores compared to infants of mothers who had viral infections and had been taking lower amounts of Choline.
Anytime new research is released with information that might support a fetuses or infants' health, soon to be parents should be all over it! Along with taking a prenatal vitamin discuss with your doctor how much vitamin B you should be ingesting, and check the labels on your current supplements for the presence of Choline.
SOURCE: sciencedaily.com