When a woman becomes pregnant, she begins thinking, not only about her own health but about the health of her unborn child as well. During the nine months that she is pregnant, she does anything possible to give her child a fighting chance.
Although the issue has been debated for quite some time, studies have recently shown that exercise is one of the best things for expectant mothers to do. It can help to keep the mother healthy but not only that, it can be great for the baby as well. Those benefits for the child can be seen all the way down to the cellular level.
According to a study published in Immunology and Cell Biology, when the mother exercises and exposes her unborn child to exercise at early stages of life, it can make a difference. One of the differences that is seen is in the microbes of the gut. It provides the advantage of brain development and helps the child to have a healthy metabolism from a very young age.
Scientists have been learning more and more about the microbes that live in our digestive tract. They are referred to as the gut microbiota but whatever you decide to call them, they can have an effect on our health and even our neurological functions. If the population of these microorganisms gets off track, it can impact our health in many ways. Not only can it cause problems with obesity, it has been linked to difficulties with autoimmune diseases and type I diabetes.
Fortunately, pregnant mothers have the opportunity to influence the gut microbiota in their unborn children. The best way to do so is through physical exercise.
Senior author Monica Fleshner had the following to say:
“Exercise affects many aspects of health, both metabolic and mental, and people are only now starting to look at the plasticity of these gut microbes. That is one of the novel aspects of this research.”
This study took a close look at mice to see how being physically active during pregnancy would affect the unborn child. In the study, mice who were born to active mothers had gut microbes of higher quality than those who were born to sedentary mothers.
Agniezka Mika, who was the first author of the paper added this:
“Future research on this microbial ecosystem will hone in on how these microbes influence brain function in a long-lasting way.”
Although it does look positive that women who exercise during pregnancy are helping the children, there are additional questions that will need to be answered. Those questions include how microbiomes in human infants compared with those in the mice who were studied. At some point, it may also be possible to benefit adults with these microbiota as well.
Although this study shows that it is beneficial to exercise during pregnancy, it is important for you to consult with a physician before doing so. Discuss exercise with your OB/GYN before starting an exercise program.
Please share this information with others