During pregnancy, the mother’s gut microbiota (the entire community of beneficial or harmful microorganisms) is highly important for both the mother’s and the baby’s health. Having a healthy and balanced gut microbiota in the mother is the first step towards ensuring that the baby has a strong immune system.
The gut microbiota during pregnancy is influenced not only by factors occurring during pregnancy but also by factors before pregnancy.
The Power of the Mediterranean Diet
The mother’s diet before pregnancy is a crucial factor in shaping the gut microbiota. The Mediterranean diet supports a healthy and balanced gut microbiota.
The Mediterranean diet includes:
- High consumption of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and nuts,
- Moderate consumption of olive oil, eggs, fish, low-fat dairy products, and poultry,
- Limitation of high-sugar and processed foods and red meat.
Additionally, the mother maintaining an ideal weight before pregnancy is an important factor that affects the baby’s healthy gut microbiota and consequently, a strong immune system.
Smoking
Smoking changes the composition of the gut microbiota, triggering dysbiosis (a decrease in beneficial bacteria in the gut). For the baby to develop a strong immune system through the mother’s healthy microbiota, it is beneficial for the mother to quit smoking at least 3 months before pregnancy, not just during pregnancy.
Physical Activity
Regular exercise by the mother before pregnancy can enrich microflora diversity and improve dysbiosis.
Antibiotic Use
Antibiotic use can reduce microbial diversity and cause negative changes in the functional properties and microbial composition of the microbiota. Therefore, as always, antibiotics should be used under medical supervision even before pregnancy.
Father’s Health
The focus is often on the mother’s health and lifestyle before pregnancy regarding their impact on the baby’s health. However, current evidence shows that the father’s health before pregnancy also affects pregnancy success and the child’s health outcomes.
Factors that fathers can change to improve the baby’s health and support a strong immune system include:
- If you smoke or drink alcohol, quit smoking at least 3 months before pregnancy and limit alcohol consumption.
- Improve your stress management.
- Increase your physical activity.
- Maintain a healthy weight.
- Adopt healthy eating habits.
Resources:
- Sinha, T., Brushett, S., Prins, J., & Zhernakova, A. (2023). The maternal gut microbiome during pregnancy and its role in maternal and infant health. Current opinion in microbiology, 74, 102309. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mib.2023.102309
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- NHS (2021). How long do babies carry their mother’s immunity? https://www.nhs.uk/common-health-questions/childrens-health/how-long-do-babies-carry-their-mothers-immunity/
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- Patangia, D. V., Anthony Ryan, C., Dempsey, E., Paul Ross, R., & Stanton, C. (2022). Impact of antibiotics on the human microbiome and consequences for host health. MicrobiologyOpen, 11(1), e1260. https://doi.org/10.1002/mbo3.1260
- Carter, T., Schoenaker, D., Adams, J., & Steel, A. (2023). Paternal preconception modifiable risk factors for adverse pregnancy and offspring outcomes: a review of contemporary evidence from observational studies. BMC public health, 23(1), 509. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-15335-1
