Child's cells retain protective effect on Mother for decades

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5195551

Some scientists have proposed that when a woman has a baby, she gets not just a son or a daughter, but a gift of cells that stays behind and protects her for the rest of her life. That's because a baby's cells linger in its mom's body for decades and -- like stem cells -- may help to repair damage when she gets sick. It's such an enticing idea that even the scientists who came up with the idea worry that it may be too beautiful to be true.

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fascinating cellular biology - not hard for me to
extropolate to sharing of consciousness between
mother and child.

I plan on telling my boys about this when they get a little older. It is nice to know that I will truly carry a piece of them with me where ever I go and they will protect me even when they are screaming how mean I am and how much they hate me.

children -- wonderful on one hand -- nightmares on the other.

but that's family in general.

that's one I can't figure out.

THEY WANT TOO!
My husband thinks it's funny. I don't get it. (LOL)

great article!

Babies for all!

Since more women seem to have autoimmune disorders, could that be a cause for some of us?

<snip>
And yes, there is the "Bad Hypothesis”: that the cells gather at inflammation sites and contribute to mom's autoimmune diseases</>

Another concern I have is the RhoGAM shot I received after giving birth to a Rh pos child (since I am Rh neg). It is supposedly sterile, but is made with blood plasma. It is designed to suppress the immune system for the rest of my life so that in subsequent pregnancies, my blood does not attack a fetus should I have another pregnancy.

So, did that mess with my immune system? And since it was given WAY before any concern about things like AIDS and Hepatitis C, how am I sure there was no exposure to anything they didn't know about at the time?

And, since my offspring is Rh positive, could any fetal cells remaining in my system be the root of a lot of auto-immune disease? (Personally, I doubt it as my mom had similar auto-immune problems and we were all RH-neg as she was)

Whole lotta questions yet to ponder.

because i think this is just really cool

:-)

the cells help the mother survive so she can raise the child to an age where the child can feed itself and run and hide and fight.

human body survival tactics are amazing!