Guwahati: A new study from researchers in Assam and Meghalaya has revealed that the traditional foods eaten by pregnant women in Northeast India may be shaping their gut health in unexpected ways — and even influencing their babies’ future well-being.
The research examined women from Assamese, Bodo, Meitei and Naga communities and found that, despite belonging to different cultures, they shared strikingly similar gut bacteria patterns. The reason? Their diets turned out to be more alike than different.
The study led by Binapani Sanjrambam and Dr Deboja Sharma was published in Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care. The project investigator is Satyakam Agarwala.
Across the region, meals rich in rice, carbohydrates and fats were linked to a drop in beneficial gut bacteria. These helpful microbes — such as Firmicutes and Actinobacteria — support digestion, immunity and healthy pregnancy outcomes. But in many women, they made up only 2–3% of the gut bacteria.
Researchers say this matters because gut bacteria play a crucial role during pregnancy, influencing a mother’s metabolism and even her baby’s developing immune system.
What made the findings more surprising was the presence of unusual bacteria rarely found at such high levels in pregnant women elsewhere. These included Gemmatimonadetes, Crenarchaeota, Fibrobacteres and Fusobacteria — groups not typically dominant in the human gut.
One Assamese participant with a high BMI showed an extreme imbalance, with beneficial bacteria dropping to around 1%, replaced by unusually high levels of Lactobacillus.
Although the women came from four different ethnic communities, their diets — and therefore their gut microbes — looked remarkably similar. Scientists say this is influenced by common regional staples like rice and lentils, seasonal vegetables, fermented foods, similar cooking oils and preparation methods.
The study found that these shared food habits were stronger predictors of gut bacteria than cultural backgrounds.
A healthy gut microbiome during pregnancy is linked to lower risk of gestational diabetes, inflammation, and complications such as pre-eclampsia. It may also shape the baby’s immunity and long-term health.
The discovery that Northeast diets may foster unique, less-studied microbes adds another layer of interest. Some samples showed low similarity to global microbial databases, suggesting the presence of bacteria science still hasn’t fully documented.
Researchers say the findings highlight the importance of nutrition guidance for pregnant women and point to the need for deeper, long-term studies.
“Understanding how traditional diets influence gut microbes is essential for supporting maternal and child health in the region,” the study concludes.
Also Read: Assam: Children most at risk as study exposes rabies threat in tea estates
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