microchimerism

Father Joshua Curtis, FSSP, a 38-year-old convert, wrote a piece in today's Sunday bulletin titled, "Microchimerism: Our Lady & Our Lord."

"Microchimerism is defined as the presence of two or more genetically distinct cell populations in one individual. During pregnancy, a two-way transfer of cells takes place between the mother and her baby in utero.

"During the first few weeks after conception, cells from both mother and baby pass back and forth across the placenta. During pregnancy, up to 10 percent of the DNA of the mother's bloodstream comes from her baby.

"After the baby is born, the percentage of the baby's DNA in the mother drops, but some cells remain functional for the rest of the mother's life. Also, as a result of this wonderful exchange of life, children will have cells from their mother that will likewise live in them.

"For both mother and child, the cells from the other are actively involved in their health over their lifetime."

Father Curtis referenced
http://www.catholicmessenger.net/2019/01/the-eternal-mother-child-connection/

An alternate resource dated Jan 11, 2018 is
https://aeon.co/essays/microchimerism-how-pregnancy-changes-the-mothers-very-dna

This is stunning news when you consider Our Lord and His mother. Because she was assumed into heaven body and soul, she carries some of her son's cells in her body, and His resurrected body carries some of her cells.

Father Curtis sermonized that the current era of scientific research has provided us with information never known before, and he marveled that we know, what we know, in this time.