The Fountain of Youth is In Your Baby Bump

Obie Editorial Team

We’ve all heard about that “pregnancy glow.” When a woman becomes pregnant, she becomes subtly more attractive. Her blood vessels expand and increase the blush in her cheeks, her hormones make her hair appear shinier, and her curves become more pronounced. However, a recent study actually shows that pregnancy might not only improve the appearance of a woman’s body. It might actually improve her body biologically.

The researchers who completed the study set out to determine the regenerative properties of pregnancy in order to pave the way for the creation of a new age-defying treatment. In their research, they found that pregnancy actually has the ability to regenerate tissue in older people by creating connections to younger blood vessels. As we grow older, our bodies slowly lose the ability to regenerate tissue, which is part of the reason our skin begins to look less lively and our bodies begin to feel less spritely. However, pregnancy in old age has been linked to better and faster tissue regeneration.

Incredibly, the scientists were able to mimic the body’s response to pregnancy to enable this regeneration artificially. If the process can be simulated easily, the regeneration could become a new and revolutionary style of treatment for women looking for the fountain of youth. Better yet, it could contribute to the health and wellness of people with failing or degenerating organs.

For pregnant women, this research can provide hope that there are benefits to accompany the discomfort and pain of pregnancy. The nine months leading up to the delivery day can sometimes feel exhausting and strenuous. Though you are certainly excited for your baby to arrive, the daily swelling and aching can make you forget about that excitement and focus only on your current situation.  When you’re feeling this exhaustion, remember that your baby’s development is actually making your body’s tissues regenerate, which will bring youth and flexibility back to your body.

Though you might not be feeling your best, your pregnancy can actually make you look your best. You’ll be glowing, and all of your friends and family will constantly be reminding you about how stunning you look. Beyond that, your body’s tissue will regenerate as your baby’s blood vessels bring livelihood back to your existing ones, which will leave your body in a better state than before you got pregnant. In addition to bringing lifelong joy, pregnancy can do a body good.

Source: Yuval Gielchinsky et al: Pregnancy Restores the Regenerative Capacity of the Aged Liver via Activation of an mTORC1-Controlled Hyperplasia/Hypertrophy Switch. Genes and Development Volume 24 Issue 6 pp. 543-548 2010