A new study has found that mom’s gut microbiomes can help to keep baby’s healthy. Despite pregnancy being so common, there are things that still need to be uncovered about the health of the woman and the baby that she is carrying. This could mean looking at how the body works to protect the baby, and in doing so, can help women who may be at high risk and who may need some additional help. Pregnancy is a vulnerable time, especially for a growing baby, and this means that there must be systems in place that help keep the baby healthy and thriving while it is in the womb.
According to PHYS, a study has discovered that the maternal microbiome promotes the healthy development of the baby. This study was done by the University of East Anglia, the Quadram Institute, and the University of Cambridge, and it can be read in full here.
They completed this study by looking at mice, and they found a particular species of gut bacteria that is known to have benefits to the health of not only mice but humans as well. They found that these changes in the mother’s body during pregnancy can impact the structure of the placenta and the way nutrients are delivered from mom to baby.
This can all impact the growth of the baby. The specific bacteria, known as Bifidobacterium breve, is used as a probiotic right now. This means that this study could point experts in the right direction when it comes to pregnancy complications, and it can help make sure every baby has the best and healthiest start to life.
Microbes have already been shown to be useful to our bodies, and they work by maintaining our health, fighting infections, and working with the immune system to keep the body healthy.
It is easy to see why these could be important for the health of a baby. As of right now, not much is known about how they can impact a growing fetus and the health of the baby before it is born. When they tested this microbiome in pregnant mice, they found that they work with the body to help encourage the healthy growth and development of the babies, and this has encouraged them to hope the same for pregnant women.
More studies and work may need to be done to fully understand the connection, but this is promising information and means that we now know one more thing about how babies grow and develop.
Sources: PHYS, Springer Link