New study: Can pregnancy keep you young?

Is pregnancy the new anti-aging miracle? A new report out from the Hadassah Medical School in Jerusalem is claiming so. Scientists involved with the study say that sharing a bloodstream with a growing baby can help keep women’s bodies young. That makes you feel better about that aching back and swollen ankles, now doesn’t it?

The details

Turning the spotlight on a group of pregnant and non-pregnant mice, medical researchers found some surprising results. After performing a liver transplant, the scientists observed even older mice responded better to the surgery – provided they were pregnant. Pregnancy seemed to encourage cell rejuvenation and protected tissue around the heart.

The researchers found that the fetus, developing inside the mother’s body, acted as an injection of youth serum to mom’s system. With younger, fresher cells, mom’s bloodstream found what amounts to a breath of fresh air.

The downside

While pregnancy comes with its fair share of headaches – morning sickness, fatigue, food cravings, acne and more – being an expectant mom can give your body a boost from the inside out. But the good effects don’t last forever. The study concluded that the positive outcomes of pregnancy (aside from that adorable baby, of course) fade after two months postpartum. It’s a shame that baby’s youth serum can’t deliver forever, but we’ll take what we can get, right?

By Lizzie Goodman

Lizzie Goodman is a writer living in the Midwest. Since becoming a mom, she's learned to do everything one-handed, often while letting her baby daughter pull her hair and poke her in the face. She believes in the strength and power of women - and really enjoys writing about pregnancy and motherhood.