Attention, new mothers!

A groundbreaking study from Harvard University reveals that a woman’s flatulence might have benefits beyond the awkwardness and odor.

According to research published in the prestigious journal, Cell, scientists have discovered that the gases produced by gut bacteria can generate hormones related to pregnancy and mood regulation. These include natural counterparts to medications currently used to treat postpartum depression.

This study contributes to the expanding body of evidence that suggests gut microbiota play a significant role in influencing human health and biology.

Moreover, the findings bolster the idea that by understanding the intricate connection between the gut and the brain, known as the gut-brain axis, medical professionals might eventually be able to treat or prevent certain mental health disorders by altering gut microbes.

“While it’s common knowledge that gut health is important to our overall well-being, exactly how bacteria that reside in our GI tract interact with one another and with our own cells to impact our mental health is still being uncovered,” said lead author Dr. Megan McCurry, who conducted the work in the prestigious Blavatnik Institute at Harvard Medical School.

“This work reveals how certain gut bacteria perform a chemical transformation that produces a steroid that could impact women’s health and postpartum depression,” McCurry wrote in the 2024 study.

Postpartum depression is often a struggle mothers face following childbirth. Pregnancy yields a significant fluctuation in hormones (specifically estrogen and progesterone) and this is accompanied by increased stress, feelings of being overwhelmed, sleep deprivation and anxiety, according to the research.

It’s a serious mental illness that if left untreated by either medication or therapy, the condition can worsen into more perilous problems, such as postpartum psychosis, a serious condition that requires immediate medical attention and at times medication and hospitalization.