الفهرس 
The Gut MicrobiotaOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
Pregnancy is associated with down regulating cell-mediated immunity (TLymphocyte)
which would lead for increasing susceptibility to viral and
bacterial infection, therefore it was expected that feeding probiotic bacteria
would help in strengthening pregnant immunity. To test the effect of
probiotics feeding on the immunity during pregnancy, rats were fed on four
different diets, a basal diet (the control) or basal diet fortified with different
probiotics which were yogurt (Streptococcus thermophilus EMCC 1043 and
Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp bulgaricus EMCC 1102) (group1), yogurt
fortified with Bifidobacterium breve, (group2) and yogurt fortified with
Bifidobacterium breve plus Lactobacillus paracasei, (group3). Feeding
started before mating, during gestation and after parturition. Probiotics
particularly (group2) and (group3) improved significantly (p ≤ 0.05) rats body
weight gain over the control during gestation and after parturition and their
offspring. Group2 and Group3 significantly lowered total serum cholesterol
than the control. Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL)-fraction decreased
insignificantly (p ≥ 0.05) during gestation but the difference was significant
(p ≤ 0.05) after parturition. Probiotic groups increased significantly
leukocytes, lymphocytes and phagocytes counts than the control particularly
after parturition. Compared to the control, probiotics feeding helped CD4
+
counts, which showed a decrease on pregnancy, to regain their original level
before pregnancy. On the third week of gestation, the counts were higher than
before pregnancy. CD8
+ counts were also increased with probiotics feeding.
Therefore, probiotics feeding improved the health of pregnant rats, lipid
profile and both sides of immunity.