Building A Strong Immune System During Pregnancy by Dr. Heather Moday
Staying healthy during pregnancy and bringing an immunologically strong baby into the world has always been top of mind for mamas-to-be but even more so in the past years of the pandemic. The good news is that we know a lot more now about how to best strengthen the immune system of mother and baby during pregnancy.
For many years it was assumed that a pregnant woman’s immune system weakened during pregnancy, which explained the more frequent susceptibility to cold and flu. More recent research from Stanford University however has discovered an “immune clock of pregnancy” That is your immune system changes during different stages of pregnancy which allows for a successful outcome. Initially, in early pregnancy a woman’s immune system revs up actually becoming more inflammatory which allows for implantation and successful establishment of the fetus. After the initial trimester, this immune activity quiets down and becomes somewhat repressed, so that your immune cells do not attack the foreign fetal proteins. This allows for further growth and development. Close to labor, the immune system revs up again as inflammation is needed for the delivery process and healing.
The assumption was always that a pregnant women’s immune systems was weaker throughout pregnancy so as not to reject the fetus and this was why colds and flu seemed more symptomatic, But actually these symptoms occurred because pregnant women often have a stronger inflammatory response.
Despite this natural inborn clock there are several ways to maximize your own immune health during pregnancy but also how you can optimize your growing baby’s immune resilience.
There are several areas to really focus your efforts to alive both goals.
Sleep as much and as frequently as you can. There is a reason that women are often very fatigued during the first trimester, There is a great deal of immune activity going on. It is an absolute necessity to listen to your body and not try to push through. Skimping on sleep will short-change your immune system and increase your susceptibility to infections.
Maximize your nutrition with immune-building nutrients. Because you are sharing your nutrients with your baby this is an area to become a little high maintenance. Also it’s always prudent to take a high quality pre natal vitamin, whole foods sources are always better options. There are also several super foods that feed our immune systems specifically. Focus on getting natural sources of vitamin C, vitamin E and A, as these are all antioxidants, which are used, extensively in immune function. Vitamin C is found readily in red peppers, kiwis, strawberries and citrus fruits. Vitamin E is easy to obtain through whole grains (not flours) nuts, seeds, avocados and asparagus. Preform vitamin A is found in its highest amount in liver, salmon and eggs and beta-carotene, its procures abounds in yellow and orange squashes and potatoes. Certain minerals such as zinc and selenium are also extremely important for immune function, thyroid health and blood sugar regulation during pregnancy, so adding in pumpkin seeds, almonds chickpeas lean beef, and Brazil nuts are great options.
Lastly, both vitamin D and Omega -3 fats are crucial in a healthy immune response and adequate amounts may help decrease allergy development in children. Consider supplementing with these as Vitamin D is difficult to get from food and it’s inadequate in the Northern hemisphere for more that half the year due to less sun exposure. DHA can be found in wild-caught fish such as salmon, sardines, mackerel and herring but if you aren’t eating these regularly, extra DHA can help fill the gap.
Take care of your gut health during pregnancy, as you will likely be passing this on to your child. Your microbiome bacteria are crucial in maintaining a healthy immune balance, as they have a close relationship to your immune cells. Some of the ways you can promote this daily is by adding probiotic foods to your meals daily. Choose from miso, sauerkraut, kimchee, other fermented veggies and kefir. In addition add in prebiotic fiber from garlic, onion, root veggies, rice, artichokes and plantain to support the health of the bacteria as well. If you have a history of IBS or frequent antibiotic use, taking a probiotic as well can boost healthy microbes.
Lastly keep your stress responses under wraps. In utero, babies are exposed to the stress hormones that are excreted from our nerve ending and adrenal glands. Studies have shown that long-term stress, anxiety and depression can change immune biomarkers not only in women but also in their child. So this is a perfect time to create a daily stress busting routine- whether its breathing techniques to engage your parasympathetic response, restorative yoga. Massage, walks in nature or journaling.
Dr. Heather Moday is a board-certified allergist and immunologist, as well as an integrative and functional medicine physician. After years of working as an allergist and immunologist in private practice, she completed a fellowship in Integrative Medicine at the Arizona Center of Integrative Medicine in Tucson, and became certified by the Institute for Functional Medicine. She is part of the Mindbodygreen “Collective”—the wellness website’s curated group of top 50 experts in the wellness space. Through her practice, The Moday Center, she works to empower people to reclaim their health through comprehensive lifestyle programs, which focus on reversing chronic disease, as well as creating optimum wellness. She lives in Virginia with her partner and their cats, Flannel and Raphael, and dog, Remi. Follow her on Instagram @theimmunityMD and Facebook @modaycenter215. Her book The Immunotype Breakthrough: Your Personalized Plan to Balance Your Immune System, Optimize Health, and Build Lifelong Resilience was released December 21, 2021 by Little Brown Spark.