A new study made by some scientists in the United Kingdom and Belgium revealed that parenting with a partner has the ability to completely rewire the body's immune system. This study was published on Monday, Feb. 15.
In an article reported by NewsMax, the researchers of this study used 670 individuals whose ages are from 2 to 86 to find the link between what goes in the immune system of two different people involved in a close relationship. They studied closely the many factors that could affect each of their participants' immune system for three years -- including their age, weight, gender and mental health. They made sure that they were monitoring everything that could possibly contribute to the person's immune system.
After all these studies, they noticed that not much change occurred in their participants' immune system even when they were asked to take some flu shots. But a huge change happened when their participants get involved with a partner to raise a child. Those who chose to become parents and decided to do it together for their child acquired such immune system that is almost like their partner's, but still different compared to the general population.
Age is another factor in rewiring the immune system as resistance to infections and the body's ability to respond to flu shots and vaccines go slow as the person ages.
The Daily Mail also got a hold of this research and quoted one of the scientists of this study, Dr. Adrian Liston. "Since parenting is one of the most severe environmental challenges anyone willingly puts themselves through, it makes sense that it radically rewires the immune system -- still, it was a surprise that having kids was a much more potent immune challenge than severe gastroenteritis," he explained.
"That's at least something for prospective parents to consider -- the sleep deprivation, stress, chronic infections and all the other challenges of parenting does more to our body than just gives us grey hairs. I think that any parents of a nursery -- or school-age child can appreciate the effect a child has on your immune system!"
