Good gut bacteria can help women conceive easily, a new study published in the journal BMC Women’s Health has claimed. The gut microbiota is the largest population of microorganisms present in the human intestine, including bacteria. Studies prove that normal gut microbiota is very important for the overall mental and physical health of a person.
A study conducted by Dr Naina Patel and Dr Bhavin Parekh, who work in Akanksha Hospital and Research Institute (AHRI), Anand, Gujarat and Professor Chaitanya Joshi and Dr Nidhi Patel from Gujarat Biotechnology and Research Center (GBRC), Gandhinagar claims that a good gut is very important for conceiving a baby. The study was titled, “Specific gut and vaginal microbiota profiles in women with implantation failure and unexplained infertility”.
According to Dr Parekh, the number of microbes living in the intestine is much more than the number of cells in the human body.
He said, “Hangtella for example produces trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), which is harmful to the body. Its concentration can also lead to the formation of blood clots. The gut microbiota supports our immune system and regulates hormones such as estrogen and progesterone, which are important for a successful pregnancy.”
Dr Naina Patel said that the idea of this study came up with several examples where three to four cycles failed in some women for no apparent reason.
She added, “If we look at the scope of this problem, today, one in six couples in India is suffering from difficulty in having a child. This study at least provides a direction to see if other factors such as gut health will also be considered when assessing a woman’s overall health when treatments like IVF play a role.” He further said that a project in which women will be treated for gut microbiota health with natural probiotics and other drugs to see the results has been planned.
According to a report published in the Times of India, during this study, the composition of bacteria was compared in women with easy pregnancies, women with unexplained infertility and women who have experienced repeated implantation failure.
The study has indicated that women who have difficulty conceiving have lower concentrations of ‘good bacteria’ such as the Actinobacteria group and Bifidobacteria. On the other hand, these women have a higher amount of bacteria like hungatella in the intestine than the women who have easy pregnancies. The study also took vaginal bacteria into account.
