Changes in immunity during pregnancy? this is handling & bull; hello healthy

Pregnancy rates are expected to increase amid the pandemic. Pregnancy certainly brings many changes in your body. One of them is the change in immunity during pregnancy. Come on, find out the causes of these changes and how to keep the body's immune system healthy in the middle of pregnancy.

The cause of immunity changes during pregnancy

According to the study The Immune System in Pregnancy: A Unique Complexity, there are several things that trigger changes in the immune system in pregnant women.

Changes in the immune system

The function of the immune system is to protect the body from disease. However, pregnancy brings few changes to the immune system. This change encourages the immune system to protect the pregnant woman's body while maintaining the growing fetus.

Simply put, the way the immune system works becomes more unique and complicated in the middle of pregnancy because it has to protect two bodies at the same time.

Adaptation of the body due to changes in protein cytokines

In the first trimester to the beginning of the second trimester, changes in the immune system during pregnancy occur because the body adapts to its new state. This change is considered by the body as a "wound" that must be dealt with. Therefore, the body produces a strong response by producing large amounts of cytokine proteins to overcome these "wounds".

This response makes pregnant women feel several symptoms, such as nausea and vomiting as a result morning sickness.

Over time, the growth of the fetus and placenta makes them "work together" better with the mother. As a result, the immune system's response is not too much. The symptoms of nausea and vomiting also subsided.

Maintain immunity during pregnancy

The difference in how the immune system works during pregnancy makes it obligatory for you to maintain your health. Maintaining health minimizes the risk of disease or infection. That way, the health of the mother and the fetus is maintained.

Break

Quoting from the American Pregnancy Association, adequate rest helps the immune system work better. A healthy immune system is also better at fighting things that can trigger disease in the body. Therefore, you should get enough rest to maintain immunity during pregnancy.

Maintain cleanliness

There are times when the immune system is weaker during pregnancy, so the body is prone to disease. One of the best ways to combat this impact is to stay clean.

Practices of maintaining cleanliness that can be done are:

Clean hands before preparing food and eating
Use clean cutlery
Wash your hands regularly

Eat nutritious food

Maintain immunity during pregnancy by eating nutritious foods. Various nutritious foods with balanced portions help meet nutritional needs when pregnant. Fulfilled nutritional needs help mothers have a healthy pregnancy and also for the benefit of the fetus.

Take supplements

If needed and approved by the doctor, you can take supplements to help maintain a healthy immune system and meet nutritional intake. A number of nutrients that are important during pregnancy include:

Folic acid for fetal growth
Iron to avoid fatigue and anemia
Calcium
Vitamin C
Vitamin D

On some occasions, pregnant women may need additional nutritional intake from supplements. An example is pregnant women who are going through pregnancy in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. The appeal to stay at home in the midst of a pandemic has made pregnant women unable to sunbathe outside the home in an effort to meet their vitamin D needs.

In pregnancy, vitamin D is useful in regulating the use of calcium in the body. In addition, vitamin D is also linked to the body's immune system. A study concluded that vitamin D deficiency can make the immune system not work properly.

Then, organic calcium will be used by the body to maintain the health of the mother's bones while being used to help the growth of fetal bones. By the end of the third trimester, about 80 percent of fetal bone comes from calcium consumed by the mother. So, the condition of the baby's bones at birth is determined by the pregnant woman's calcium intake.

So, what about vitamin C? Mothers can maintain the immune system during pregnancy with vitamin C. The body's health is maintained thanks to the protection provided by vitamin C to the body's cells. When choosing a supplement, choose a C-ester type of vitamin C over the regular vitamin C type of ascorbic acid, as it is more friendly to the stomach.

Also keep in mind, before taking supplements for bone health and immunity of pregnant women, you should consult with your doctor first.