Gut microbiota of healthy Canadian infants: profiles by mode of delivery and infant diet at 4 months

The gut microbiota plays a pivotal role in the maintenance of human health. Numerous factors, including the mode of delivery, impact early gut colonization in newborns. Recent research focuses on the use of probiotics in the prevention of gut dysbiosis in newborns delivered by cesarean section (CS). The objective of this study was to determine whether a probiotic supplement given to newborns delivered by CS during their stay in the maternity ward alters the pattern of early gut colonization by lactic acid bacteria versus potential pathogens. A prospective, randomized trial was conducted. In total, 150 newborns, born at 38–40 weeks gestational age and delivered by CS, were included in the study. They were randomized into the intervention group, supplemented orally with a probiotic containing Bifidobacterium breve PB04 and Lactobacillus rhamnosus KL53A, and the control group. Stool samples were obtained on days 5 and 6 of life and after one month of life and were analyzed for the presence and abundance of the main groups of bacteria. An application of two probiotic bacteria during the first days of life after CS resulted in quick and abundant colonization by days 5 and 6, with high populations of L. rhamnosus and B. breve. The applied bacterial strains were present in the majority of neonates one month after. The supplementation of term neonates delivered by cesarean section immediately after birth with a mixture of L. rhamnosus and B. breve enriched the gut microbiota composition with lactic acid bacteria.

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Effect of Delivery Mode and Nutrition on Gut Microbiota in Neonates

Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism ◽

10.1159/000496427 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 74 (2) ◽

pp. 132-139 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Shohei Akagawa ◽

Shoji Tsuji ◽

Chikushi Onuma ◽

Yuko Akagawa ◽

Tadashi Yamaguchi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cesarean Section ◽

Gut Microbiota ◽

Bacterial Diversity ◽

Mode Of Delivery ◽

Influential Factors ◽

Delivery Mode ◽

Cesarean Section Delivery ◽

Feeding Type ◽

Stool Samples ◽

Gut Microbiota Composition

Background/Aims: The mode of delivery (vaginal or cesarean section) and feeding type (breastfeeding or formula feeding) of neonates are considered the most influential factors in the development of gut microbiota. Objectives: This study investigated the effect of prebiotic-rich breast milk on overcoming gut microbiota dysbiosis. Method: Stool samples from 36 healthy Japanese neonates were obtained at 4 days and 1 month of age, and divided into 4 groups based on mode of delivery and feeding type. The gut microbiota composition and bacterial diversity were assessed using 16S rRNA sequencing. Results: At 4 days old, vaginally delivered neonates had a significantly higher diversity of bacteria than those born by cesarean section. Bacteroidales and Enterobacteriales were overrepresented in vaginally delivered neonates (p = 0.0031 and p = 0.011), while Bacillales and Lactobacillales were overrepresented in caesarean section delivered neonates (p = 0.012 and p = 0.0016). However, there was little difference in bacterial diversity and bacterial relative abundance at 1 month of age between groups. Conclusions: Cesarean section delivery appeared to reduce the diversity of neonate gut microbiota, resulting in dysbiosis, but this improved to the equivalent level seen in vaginally delivered infants by 1 month of age. Breastfeeding, even for short periods, may therefore improve neonate gut dysbiosis.

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Does the maternal vaginal microbiota play a role in seeding the microbiota of neonatal gut and nose?

Beneficial Microbes ◽

10.3920/bm2017.0064 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 8 (5) ◽

pp. 763-778 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

O. Sakwinska ◽

F. Foata ◽

B. Berger ◽

H. Brüssow ◽

S. Combremont ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Gut Microbiota ◽

Mode Of Delivery ◽

Similarity Measures ◽

Vaginal Microbiota ◽

Minor Role ◽

Delivery Mode ◽

Feeding Mode ◽

Early Maturation ◽

Stool Microbiota ◽

The Impact

The acquisition and early maturation of infant microbiota is not well understood despite its likely influence on later health. We investigated the contribution of the maternal microbiota to the microbiota of infant gut and nose in the context of mode of delivery and feeding. Using 16S rRNA sequencing and specific qPCR, we profiled microbiota of 42 mother-infant pairs from the GUSTO birth cohort, at body sites including maternal vagina, rectum and skin; and infant stool and nose. In our study, overlap between maternal vaginal microbiota and infant faecal microbiota was minimal, while the similarity between maternal rectal microbiota and infant microbiota was more pronounced. However, an infant’s nasal and gut microbiota were no more similar to that of its own mother, than to that of unrelated mothers. These findings were independent of delivery mode. We conclude that the transfer of maternal vaginal microbes play a minor role in seeding infant stool microbiota. Transfer of maternal rectal microbiota could play a larger role in seeding infant stool microbiota, but approaches other than the generally used analyses of community similarity measures are likely to be needed to quantify bacterial transmission. We confirmed the clear difference between microbiota of infants born by Caesarean section compared to vaginally delivered infants and the impact of feeding mode on infant gut microbiota. Only vaginally delivered, fully breastfed infants had gut microbiota dominated by Bifidobacteria. Our data suggest that reduced transfer of maternal vaginal microbial is not the main mechanism underlying the differential infant microbiota composition associated with Caesarean delivery. The sources of a large proportion of infant microbiota could not be identified in maternal microbiota, and the sources of seeding of infant gut and nasal microbiota remain to be elucidated.

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Human Milk Feeding Patterns at 6 Months of Age are a Major Determinant of Fecal Bacterial Diversity in Infants

Journal of Human Lactation ◽

10.1177/0890334420957571 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 089033442095757

Author(s):

Kameron Y. Sugino ◽

Tengfei Ma ◽

Jean M. Kerver ◽

Nigel Paneth ◽

Sarah S. Comstock

Keyword(s):

Gut Microbiota ◽

Human Milk ◽

Beta Diversity ◽

Maternal Obesity ◽

Alpha Diversity ◽

Major Determinant ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Alpha And Beta Diversity ◽

Infant Diet ◽

Milk Feeding

Background Maternal pre-pregnancy obesity and human milk feeding have been associated with altered infant gut microbiota. Research aim Determine the relationships between maternal pre-pregnancy BMI, human milk exposure, and their influence on the infant microbiota simultaneously. Methods This was a cross-sectional study of infants at 6 months of age ( N = 36), a time when many infants are fed a mixed diet of human milk and other foods. Fecal samples and participant information were collected from a subset of dyads enrolled in two related prospective cohorts (ARCHGUT and BABYGUT) in Michigan. Sequencing the V4 region of the 16S gene was used to analyze fecal bacterial samples collected from 6-month-old infants. Participants were grouped into four categories designated by their extent of human milk exposure (100%, 80%, 50%–80%, ≤ 20% human milk in the infant diet) and by maternal pre-pregnancy BMI category (normal, overweight, obese). Results Fewer participants with pre-pregnancy obesity were breastfeeding at 6 months postpartum compared to non-obese participants (35.7% and 81.8%, respectively). In univariate analyses, maternal pre-pregnancy BMI and human milk exposure were both significantly associated with alpha and beta diversity of the infant microbiota. However, in multivariate analyses, human milk exposure accounted for 20% of the variation in alpha diversity, but pre-pregnancy BMI was not significantly associated with any form of microbiota diversity. Conclusions The proportion of the infant diet that was human milk at 6 months was the major determinant of alpha and beta diversity of the infant. Maternal obesity contributes to the gut microbiota by its association with the extent of human milk feeding.

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The mode of delivery affects the diversity and colonization pattern of the gut microbiota during the first year of infants' life: a systematic review

BMC Gastroenterology ◽

10.1186/s12876-016-0498-0 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 16 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 187

Author(s):

Erigene Rutayisire ◽

Kun Huang ◽

Yehao Liu ◽

Fangbiao Tao

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Gut Microbiota ◽

Mode Of Delivery ◽

First Year ◽

Colonization Pattern

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Caesarean section and gut microbiota in children

World Nutrition Journal ◽

10.25220/wnj.v04.s2.0002 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (1-2) ◽

pp. 8

Author(s):

Ariani Dewi Widodo ◽

Mohammad Juffrie

Keyword(s):

Gut Microbiota ◽

Intestinal Microbiota ◽

Bacterial Colonization ◽

Composition Studies ◽

Mode Of Delivery ◽

Immune Disorders ◽

Immune Development ◽

Gut Dysbiosis ◽

Colonization Patterns ◽

Regulation Changes

Over the last two decades, the C-section rate has increased worldwide. It is understood that colonization patterns of intestinal microbiota in infant delivery in C-section vary from those that were delivered vaginally. These different microbial pattern and diversity will impact and respond to immune and dysbiosis-related diseases. This article examined the effect of C-section on gut microbiota in children.Recent Findings: Newborns are influenced by various factors, including mode of delivery, feeding, nutrition, hospitalization, antibiotic and host gene. Several studies have shown that infants with C-section have lower Bifidobacterium while others have shown lower abundance of Enterobactericeae and Bacteroides in infants with C-section compared to infants born vaginally. Although the mode of delivery is only one factor that influences infant microbiota composition, studies conclude that reduced microbial exposure during the C-section is important because it can affect dysbiosis several years after birth. Good microbiota is a key source of microbial-driven immune regulation, changes in normal patterns of bacterial colonization can alter the immune development outcome and may predispose to certain immune-related disorders later in life.Summary: The composition and concentrations of intestinal microbiota between vaginally and C-section born infants are significantly different. Among C-section infants, gut microbiota is associated with lower diversity and therefore induces dysbiosis, which can affect immune development and may predispose to some immune disorders, i.e. allergies in particular. Nutritional approach with pre-, probiotics, and/or synbiotics can have a promising effect early in life in preventing gut dysbiosis.

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The Association Between Mode of Delivery and Later Educational Outcomes

International Journal for Population Data Science ◽

10.23889/ijpds.v5i5.1472 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 5 (5) ◽

Author(s):

Eileen Li ◽

Rebecca Slykerman ◽

Barry Milne

Keyword(s):

New Zealand ◽

Secondary School ◽

Gut Microbiota ◽

Vaginal Delivery ◽

Educational Outcomes ◽

Educational Achievement ◽

Mode Of Delivery ◽

Delivery Mode ◽

Developmental Problems ◽

The Impact

IntroductionCaesarean section (C-section) is becoming increasingly prevalent worldwide. It can be a life-saving intervention when medical complications arise, but may cause adverse consequences for the mothers when it is not medically necessary. The upwards trend of C-section is becoming a general concern as it might be associated with a wide range of child outcomes such as immune diseases, respiratory diseases and developmental problems. One underlying mechanism of such association is through gut microbiota. Mode of delivery is a signification factor which determines the gut bacterial environment in early days of life. Gut microbiota can impact cognitive development via microbiota gut brain axis. Objectives and ApproachThis study investigated the association between mode of delivery and later educational outcomes of the children, using linked data from New Zealand Integrated Data Infrastructure. The participants consisted of children born in New Zealand between 1Jan1996 and 31Dec1998. All birth information were retrieved from Department of Internal Affairs and were linked to Ministry of Health data to obtain delivery methods from mothers’ diagnosis records. Once delivery modes were identified, the data was then linked to records from Ministry of Education to obtain children’s educational outcomes at secondary school. Three outcome variables were chosen: University Entrance, Highest Endorsement Level and National Certificate of Educational Achievement Level 2 Percentile Score. ResultsThe results have shown that C-section and assisted vaginal delivery were associated with better secondary school educational achievement, comparing to unassisted vaginal delivery. The results persisted after adjusting for sociodemographic factors such as household income, maternal education and deprivation index; infant factors such as birth weight, gestational age and ethnicity. However, when within family variation was further controlled for in the sibling fixed effects analysis, C-section was no longer associated with improved educational achievement. Conclusion / ImplicationsThis indicated that the impact of delivery mode might be negligible on later educational achievement.

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Benefit of synbiotic intervention in Caesarean section born infants and children: A nutritional perspective

World Nutrition Journal ◽

10.25220/wnj.v04.s2.0006 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (1-2) ◽

pp. 38

Author(s):

Saptawati Bardosono ◽

Dian Novita Chandra

Keyword(s):

Caesarean Section ◽

Gut Microbiota ◽

Growth And Development ◽

Mode Of Delivery ◽

Optimal Growth ◽

Nutritional Intervention ◽

Infants And Children ◽

Beneficial Effects ◽

Born Infant ◽

Metabolic Systems

The benefit to have infants being delivered physiologically through vagina is amongst others to get maternal microbes transmission that will affect host immunity and metabolic development. However this mode of delivery is not always the choice to infants for several reasons. Therefore, it raises questions whether there is a need to give specific intervention to the caesarean section (C-section) born infants and children for their optimal growth and development, i.e. provision of nutrients with or without pre-, pro- or synbiotics. Nutritional intervention is certainly important to support growth and development of all children, especially those born by C-section. However, in addition, to anticipate perturbation in the gut microbiota there is a need to prepare the C-section born infant through translocation from the mother’s intestinal microbiota, early initiation of breastfeeding and/or synbiotic supplementation formula. The superiority of synbiotic compare to prebiotic or probiotic alone is that synbiotic thought to have synergistic beneficial effects on the immune and metabolic systems in which it compensates the delayed Bifidobacterium colonization in C-section delivered infants and modulates the production of acetate and the acidification of the gut. However we still need to find consistent evidence & recommendation in the world on synbiotic for children in general and specifically for the C-section born infant & children that may have an impact on healthy young children’s gut microbiota.

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