Antibiotics in pregnancy: risk of obesity in children
Taking treatments during pregnancy is often not recommended, especially during the 2nd and 3rd trimester of pregnancy. But what about taking antibiotics and the risks to the child?
A recent study carried out by researchers at Columbia University and published on November 11, 2014 in the International Journal of Obesity, would demonstrate that taking antibiotic treatmentduring pregnancywould increase the risk of obesity in the future child(1).
Explanations about the study
The study was conducted on 727 mothers in total. 436 of them were followed until the child was 7 years old. Of these 436 mothers, 16% took antibiotics during the 2nd or 3rd trimester of pregnancy.
The results of the study are quite alarming, since the risk of these children suffering from obesity was84% higher thanthe risk in children who had not been exposed to antibiotics.
Researchers in general, are lagging behind in the field, since it is only recently that we have discovered that a healthy intestinal flora is a very important factor in health, and that the slightest disruption of this flora can lead to multiple problems.
Antibiotics and intestinal flora
Regarding taking antibiotics during pregnancy, this “attacks” the microbial flora of the mother, thus being able to reach the fetus.
Microbial flora is all microorganisms that are found in a specific environment. Yeasts, bacteria, viruses or fungi, are among the microorganisms of the microbial flora. It is present in the skin, vagina, or intestines. In the intestines, the microbial flora contains more microorganisms than in the rest of the human body (2).
Altered transmission of microbial flora from mother to child would therefore lead to a higher risk of exposure of the baby to various problems, obesity being one of them.
It is therefore the 1st link established between antibiotics and risks even before birth.
In the same study, the researchers also found that there wasalsoa link between cesarean delivery and the risk of obesity in children, unrelated to whether or not antibiotics were taken during pregnancy. Indeed, a caesarean birth would increase the risk of obesity in children by 46%. Caesarean section would also alter the normal transmission of microbial flora from mother to child.
Stephen Paul is the lead author and founder of My Health Sponsor. Holder of a diploma in health and well-being coaching with more than 200 articles in the field of health, he makes it a point of honor to offer advice based on reliable information, based on scientific research, and verified by health professionals.