The transformation of the female body through motherhood: Stronger bones, enhanced healing, and altered brains | Science & Tech News
Research suggests that women’s brains, blood, hormones, and bones undergo significant changes during pregnancy.
Scientists have only recently begun to understand the full extent of these changes in women’s bodies during and after pregnancy, after decades of predominantly studying male bodies.
Bones
Biologists have discovered a new hormone that protects bone density during breastfeeding.
This hormone, CCN3, was found to increase bone mass significantly by blocking certain oestrogen receptors in the brain, according to researchers at the University of California San Francisco and UC Davis.
Professor Holly Ingram noted that CCN3 even accelerated bone healing in elderly bones when administered as a patch, suggesting potential benefits for conditions like osteoporosis that women are more susceptible to after menopause.
Professor Ingram emphasized the importance of studying both male and female animals throughout their lifespan to gain a comprehensive understanding of biology.
In addition to bone health, researchers are uncovering “powerful” changes in women’s brains and the regenerative properties of mothers’ blood.
File pic: iStock
Brains
Studies have shown that a woman’s brain undergoes significant changes during pregnancy, with lasting impacts even after childbirth.
One study found that researchers could accurately determine pregnancy solely by examining brain shape with a 100% success rate.
File pic: iStock
Dr. Susana Carmona, who conducted the research, described these brain changes as among the most profound in her neuroscience career.
The brain adaptation during pregnancy is driven by hormonal changes that prompt maternal instincts and behaviors, leading to structural modifications in regions associated with socializing and self-perception.
File pic: iStock
Blood
During pregnancy, babies leave a lasting mark on their mothers’ blood cells.
Research has shown that expectant mothers can harbor their child’s blood cells, even years after childbirth, with potential benefits for healing in various areas of the body.
Even in cases of miscarriage, a woman may retain her child’s blood cells for an extended period.
Understanding and studying women’s bodies during pregnancy remains an area of ongoing discovery and research, encompassing the entire body.
