The intestinal health of the pregnant woman influences the brain of the future baby

We have always known that Pregnancy is a critical time for the development of the fetus and its health. But what we didn't know is that there were diseases that can appear in life a posteriori and that they can also relate to what mom ate and did during her pregnancy.

Building the brain of the future baby is very expensive

The formation of the brain of the future baby during development generates a high metabolic cost. From the first month of pregnancy, neurons proliferate frantically and are located in what will be the future brain, following a perfectly plotted program. The pace of division of neurons reaches at this stage the record of 250,000 cells per minute!

The development of the brain of the fetus represents 60-70 percent of the total energy that the mother makes in the new person. At the end of pregnancy, the total energy cost to form a new brain is about 50,000 kilocalories, which are more than half of the total energy cost of pregnancy.

Therefore even before birth, the brain of the future baby is already very dependent on what the mother eats and does at this stage. One of the allied organs of fetal brain development is the mother's intestine.

Intestinal infections in the pregnant woman

Although it is still to be confirmed, it is believed that intestinal infections during the first six months of pregnancy in mothers increase the risk of brain dysfunctions in the future baby.

If confirmed, strategies to reduce the risk of infections during pregnancy could be considered through the control of gut bacteria, simply with controlled diets, prebiotics and probiotics (i.e. foods that help maintain intestinal flora).

Read also: The 15 best probiotics and prebiotics to take care of your health

Diabetes in the mother

Other studies have revealed that The development of diabetes (type I or type II) is a risk factor for autism In the offspring.

In the study, researchers took data from about half a million children who were followed up during the first 7 years of life. Those who developed autism were noted and found to be from mothers who had suffered from type I or type II diabetes during pregnancy.

The results showed that During the pregnancy of mothers with diabetes, the risk of the offspring presenting autism increased by 62%. However, the reasons why diabetes could increase this risk are still unknown.

Although there are inevitable diabetes, such as type I, Type II diabetes increases its incidence with poor diet and junk food. This can relieve your symptoms with regular physical exercise (for example, walking at a good pace for 30 minutes daily) and with a healthy diet (such as the Mediterranean diet).

Healthy nutrition and pregnancy. Close-up pregnant woman’s belly and vegetable salad

Adequate proportion of omega fats and risk of ADHD

A study by researchers from Spanish entities has shown that Pregnancy diet may influence the risk of ADHD symptoms (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) in children from 7 years of age.

The research analyzed the proportion of omega-6 fatty acids versus omega-3 fatty acids that mothers ingested during pregnancy. While both fatty acids are essential for the development and functioning of the brain throughout life, During pregnancy the adequate amount of these fats is particularly crucial.

Omega-6 and omega-3 should be stored in an adequate proportion (3 to 1 is advisable). Omega-6s are particularly abundant in vegetable oils, seeds and grains as well as cereals and meats, while omega-3s are rich in fish oils and marine and lake sources.

The results indicated that There was a correlation between the disproportion of omega-6 / omega-3 and the increased risk of showing ADHD symptoms after 7 years of age in the children In this way the number of symptoms was associated with the greatest disproportion of these fats. However, the correlation did not exist with respect to the diagnosis of ADHD, indicative that other factors also influence this disorder.

You may be interested: What are omega 3, omega 6 and omega 9 acids?

Eat nuts in the first 3 months of pregnancy

A recent study has shown that eat nuts (nuts, almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts and pine nuts) during the first 3 months of pregnancy Improves attention, memory and learning in children.

The benefits of nuts (surely also others such as cashews, Macadamia nuts, pistachios, etc.) are explained by their high content of essential fatty acids type omega-6 and omega-3, high content of microminerals and vitamin B9 that contribute to the development of the brain of the fetus when it needs it most.

The funny thing is that the same beneficial effects were not observed in the neuropsychological development of the offspring when the mothers had consumed the nuts in abundance in the last 3 months of pregnancy.

Caesarean section is not ideal for the newborn

Babies born by caesarean section have different intestinal flora than babies born by natural birth. In those born by caesarean section the levels of healthy bacteria are usually lower, while that of potentially problematic bacteria increases. This fact increases the risk of some subsequent diseases. Proper colonization of microorganisms during the first months of life is crucial for subsequent health.

In an investigation it was shown that those born by caesarean section had a lower proportion of "good" bacteria that are important for the digestion of milk. They also had higher levels of "bad" bacteria.

These differences correlate with an increase in subsequent immunological problems affecting the airways. Those born by caesarean section had a higher incidence of asthma and allergies. It also increased the risk of them being obese.

Women tend to be very careful and cautious in pregnancy to give their best to the offspring. There is no doubt that a great ally of this care lies with the bacteria that live in the intestine. Let's take care of the guts to take care of us all our lives!