How to fight infections during pregnancy...?

Researchers at the University of Minnesota in the Twin Cities are hoping they might have found an answer for the increased risk to infections that women have when they're pregnant. 

"University of Minnesota Medical School researchers have identified the underlying mechanisms for this physiologic immune suppression that may lead to new therapies to help ward off infections during pregnancy," says an announcement from the U. 

The July issue of the scientific journal "Cell Host & Microbe" includes a report about the study. I note that the study was done in mice and it's important to realize that what happens in mice might not work in humans.

But the research gives scientists the foundation to study humans to see if "the immune suppressive molecule IL-10 (helps prevent infections when) removed from regulatory T cells" — without negatively affecting the outcome of the pregnancy.

Pulse on Health
By Jeff Hansel, member Association of Health Care Journalists
Health Reporter for the PostBulletin.com, 18 1st Ave. S.E. in Rochester, Minnesota 55904 
Twitter Hansel's Pulse: @Jeff Hansel