Probiotics have been touted recently as a great way to ensure the health of your digestive tract. But what are probiotics? And are they safe to consume during your pregnancy? Will they harm your developing fetus? Here is how to safely integrate probiotics into your pregnancy diet.
1. What Are Probiotics?
o Probiotics, or live microorganisms, are a good bacteria that live in your digestive system. These lactic acid producing bacteria help to strengthen your immune system by eating the harmful bacteria your body comes into contact with every day. In addition, they help to restore balance, or homeostasis, to your gut after illness.
Benefits of Probiotics
o In addition to building your immunity against illness, probiotics have a host of other benefits including treating irritable bowel syndrome and Crohn's disease, treating urinary tract infections, preventing and managing the symptoms of eczema in children and preventing food allergies. Additionally, during times of stress, probiotics can help alleviate symptoms such as constipation and diarrhea.
Yeast Infection Prevention
o Yeast infections are a common discomfort during pregnancy. The body's intestinal flora are threatened by overgrowth of yeast and can be destroyed by them. By eating probiotic foods, such as yogurt or kefir, the intestines can grow stronger flora and the probiotics can keep new yeast from developing.
Fatty Acid Growth
o Probiotics added to the diet of anyone, pregnant or not, can aid in converting fiber into healthy fatty acids that nourish the cells that line your intestines. These fatty acids are healthy for your heart and blood and also strengthen your digestive tract.
Prevention of Preterm Labor
o Probiotics can help prevent pre-term labor caused by vaginal infection. Probiotics eat away at bad bacteria and weaken it before it can enter the uterine cavity. They prevent vaginosis and the pre-term rupture of amniotic membranes. Probiotics can be taken for this orally or vaginally.
Post-Pregnancy Benefits
o Continuing to take probiotics after the birth of your baby has positive effects as well. Along with the ability to keep postpartum infections away, eating probiotics while breastfeeding can help strengthen baby's immune system. This can prevent childhood allergies and eczema as well as lowering incidence of asthma.
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