Yoghurt urged in pregnancy
Thursday April 15th, 2010
An expert on allergies has urged mothers to eat yoghurt during pregnancy.
Canadian specialist Professor Guy Delespesse says pregnant women should be eating probiotics - healthy bacteria which live in the gut.
He believes these will help fine-tune the immune system of the new baby.
The professor says one of the main causes of allergy in developed countries is lack of exposure to bacteria because of improved hygiene.
The rate of allergies in western countries has trebled in the last 30 years -and is now 30 per cent, according to Professor Delespesse, of the University of Montreal, Canada.
He said: "The bacteria in our digestive system are essential to digestion and also serve to educate our immune system. They teach it how to react to strange substances.
"This remains a key in the development of a child's immune system."
He added: "Consuming probiotics during pregnancy could help reduce allergies in the child. They are not a miracle remedy, yet they are one of many elements that improve our diet and our health."
Tags: Allergies & Asthma | Child Health | Childbirth and Pregnancy | Diet & Food | North America | Women’s Health & Gynaecology
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