Interesting Idea

Yesterday I wrote about an interesting podcast that I listened to while walk/jogging. 

It's from RadioLab and called Fetal Consequences. 

I'll give you the brief synopsis. 

A long time ago, scientists used to think that when a woman got pregnant - the baby's cells stayed completely separate from a mom's cells. 

Then scientists found out that if you draw blood from a pregnant woman you will find fetal cells mixed in with her blood.  Doctors figured that with the mom's immune system, the cells would only last for a few hours.  However, they discovered that fetal cells stayed inside the mother for DECADES - like forty to fifty years.  It didn't matter if a woman was pregnant for eight weeks or delivered a full-term baby.

After that discovery - Scientists developed two theories about fetal cells and their effect on the mom's body.  

1.  Fetal cells may cause the increased frequency in auto-immune diseases in women; or
2. Fetal cells actually help protect women from diseases and damage.

It turns out that fetal cells are a lot more complicated than just good or bad.  As it turns out there's some evidence for both and also some evidence that they have absolutely no effect at all.

Regardless of what fetal cells do, I kind of love the idea that Cub's cells will stay with me for decades and I think that they're helping me. 

Here's little Cub playing outside today.