Taking care of yourself during pregnancy is key to fetal development, as there are many things that intervene in its growth. Now, a study from the University of Cambridge (United Kingdom) has discovered more evidence about the importance of the intestinal microbiome during pregnancy, and that is that the presence of a probiotic bacteria called Bifidobacterium breve could affect the structure of the placenta and the transport of nutrients to the fetus.
This bacterium, commonly used as a probiotic, helps improve the intestinal microbiota, that is, the microorganisms found in the intestines, which in many studies have been shown to have greater power in maintaining health, fighting infections and improving the immune system response and metabolism.
Until now, little is known about how these interactions influence fetal development and the health of the baby before birth. In this study, carried out in mice and published in the journal Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences, it was found that the maternal microbiome could be key in the communication between the mother, the placenta and the fetus, so having this link in account could help avoid many complications during pregnancy.
Altered microbiota interferes with placental growth
In the study, mice without germs and microbes were bred and compared with the effects of mice that did have normal intestinal flora. In addition, they analyzed what happened to germ-free mice when they were fed the probiotic Bifidobacterium breve. The results showed that in these mutated mice the fetus did not receive the necessary amount of sugar and did not grow and develop properly.
“Adding a Bifidobacterium probiotic during pregnancy can help improve the functioning of the placenta, which has positive effects on the growth of the baby in the womb”
In addition, the absence of the maternal microbiome also hampered the growth of the placenta, which also affected fetal growth, and further analysis found a number of key metabolic and cell growth factors that could be regulated by the microbiome and Bifidobacterium breve.
“Our findings reveal that the maternal microbiome promotes placental development and fetal growth. We believe that this is related to the altered profile of metabolites and nutrients, which affects the transport of nutrients from mother to baby through the placenta. Excitingly, it appears that adding a Bifidobacterium probiotic during pregnancy may help improve placental function, which has positive effects on the growth of the baby in the womb,” explains Lindsay Hall, one of the study’s investigators.
Despite the good results, the authors themselves emphasize that there are limitations, since tests have been carried out with a single bacterial species, in mice and in these mutated animals so that they are free of germs, which could not occur in a natural environment. And, of course, it could not be tested in humans. However, they also believe their findings could guide future studies.
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