Pregnancy Alters Resident Gut Microbes

[xchrom]

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=pregnancy-alters-resident-gut-microbes


Changes to gut microbes seen in pregnancy prepare a woman to nourish her child.
Image: PhotoAlto/Alamy

From Nature magazine

Women's gut microbe populations change as pregnancy advances, becoming more like those of people who might develop diabetes. These changes, which do not seem to damage maternal health, correspond with increases in blood glucose and fat deposition thought to help a mother nourish her child.

Although scientists have profiled microbial communities around the world and throughout the human body, this is the first time they have tracked the gut microbiome during pregnancy, says Ruth Ley, a microbiologist at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, who led the work1.

Ley had previously explored the interplay of gut microbiota with metabolic syndrome2, a precursor to diabetes that is characterised by high levels of inflammatory markers, blood sugar and fats. Because similar changes occur during pregnancy, she wondered whether the gut microbiota might reflect this. She and her colleagues sequenced microbial DNA from stool samples collected early and late in pregnancy, and found consistent shifts in the bacterial communities.

Overall, the diversity of gut bacteria declined between the first and third trimesters, but the abundance of certain types, such as the Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria, increased. These are also more common in people who are obese or have metabolic syndrome, says Ley. “Proteobacteria in particular are often the bad guys in these studies. They are associated with inflammation.”

[SheilaT]

1. Cool.

I often point out to women that even if you have absolutely no desire or intention to breast feed, or are completely unable to do so, your body is designed to do just that. It's okay if you can't or don't. Just don't underestimate how your body works.

[nelson554]

2. Re:Preganancy

I think this stage at women is very difficult and she want to do walk at daily basis and eat fresh fruit and fresh vegetables also.