Probiotics

Do probiotics help prevent eczema in high risk infants?  In a recent study, 112 pregnant women with a family history of allergic disease were assessed and some were given probiotics during late pregnancy and 6 months after delivery.  Infant of mothers in the placebo group had nearly twice incidence of eczema.  In other words, probiotics seem to help prevention of eczema.  The authors conclude,  

"Prenatal and postnatal supplementation with a mixture of B. bifidum BGN4, B. lactis AD011, and L. acidophilus AD031 is an effective approach in preventing the development of eczema in infants at high risk of allergy during the first year of life."

If you are pregnant, it may be wise to take probiotics in addition to maintaining a health diet.

Mom's Vitamin B12

A November 2009 paper explored the relationship between maternal nutrition and the child's health.  The authors state, "low maternal vitamin B12 status predicted increased adiposity and insulin resistance in the children."  This is noteworthy because adiposity (being fat) and insulin resistance are very common among kids.

Another study looked at maternal vitamin B12 and cognitive function in kids. The researchers examined pregnant women's vitamin B12 levels and assessed cognitive performance many years later; when the children were age 9.  The children born to mothers with the lowest vitamin B12 levels had the worst performance on assessments of cognitive function.  The authors suggest that "vitamin B₁₂ status during intrauterine growth could influence different aspects of brain growth and neurocognitive development." 

It is becoming clear that maternal nutrition profoundly affects fetal development.  

Mom's Vitamin D and Multiple Sclerosis

A new report finds that when Mom has a high intake of vitamin D early in pregnancy, the child has up to a 45% reduced risk of developing multiple sclerosis later in life.  By now, this kind of news is becoming common.  Mom's health has the potential to 'mark' genes for expression later in life.  We all know that genes don't change.  But Mom's diet has a profound ability to place markers along the genes (kind of like flags) to tell the body whether or not to turn on those genes.

Another study found that higher vitamin D intake during pregnancy reduced the risk of childhood asthma and allergic rhinitis.  

Some authorities suspect that low vitamin D levels negatively influence the development of the child's brain and immune system.

"Vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy may, therefore, not only impair maternal skeletal preservation and fetal skeletal formation but also be vital to the fetal "imprinting" that may affect chronic disease susceptibility soon after birth as well as later in life." Med Hypotheses 2010 Jan;74(1):71-5. Epub 2009 Aug 18.

Rethinking prenatal care

When most people think about prenatal care, we consider the obvious; stop drinking, quit smoking, eat better and take folic acid.  We've known for a very long time that folic acid helps prevent neural tube defects early on during the pregnancy.  Outside of that, medical opinion has recently evolved to include the significance of maternal intake of omega 3 fats for healthy brain development.  Most professionals recommend a general prenatal multivitamin as well.  We're going to head into a series that covers a few topics beyond the usual recommendations.

Mom's health is very important for the baby.  I know that we all know that.  But let's dig a little deeper so we start to understand the real significance of Mom's health and how far-reaching the consequences of poor health are.  Most Mom's and their doctors have as their goal; full-term pregnancy with safe delivery.  No complications during pregnancy (gestational diabetes, preeclampsia etc.) and a healthy baby with a good APGAR score.

Those are great outcome measures.  There's nothing wrong with these goals.  Quite the opposite- these goals should be a major priority and a measuring stick of success.  But is it beyond reason to hope for more? Can we actually have a goal of optimizing the neuroendocrine immune system to reduce the risk of chronic disease later in life?  The answer is yes.  But the only way to do this is by appreciating the integration of body systems.

Let's start with one paper.

"...prenatal stress (i.e. stress experienced by the pregnant mother with impact on the fetal ontogeny) has programming effects on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis, brain neurotransmitter systems and cognitive abilities of the offspring"

To appreciate the significance, we need to understand the role of the hypothalamic-pituitary adrenal axis and the result of a compromise in that system.  To state it simply; Mom's stress can interfere with the child's brain development, hormone activity, neurotransmitter levels and ability to think.   These are not traditional "birth defects".  But it happens.

How many American woman have high levels of uncontrolled stress?  Do they have babies? Even with all 10 fingers and all 10 toes, have those babies been "dealt a bad hand"?  We'll continue to explore this topic.