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

Abstract

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.

Parturition and the perinatal period: can mode of delivery impact on the future health of the neonate?

“…; Sakwinska et al . ). Indeed, it is more plausible that infant gut colonization should be driven by transfer of maternal intestinal microbiota rather than vaginal bacteria given the very different environments these species needed to thrive.…”

“…). These routes of transmission still require more investigation as although Sakwinska and colleagues () reported a greater similarity between paired maternal rectal and infant stool microbiota, it was minimal in early infancy and only showed a strong resemblance 4–6 month after birth. They concluded that physiological conditions such as immune system maturation, which could also be affected by mode of delivery, could be important.…”

Linking Human Milk Oligosaccharides, Infant Fecal Community Types, and Later Risk To Require Antibiotics

“…The infant's gut is progressively colonized with a dense microbial population. Donor effects are important, as seen from gut microbiota differences between Cesarean and vaginal deliveries (3,(5)(6)(7)(8). However, nutrition also has an important impact on the composition of the gut microbiota, as seen from differences between breastfed and bottle-fed infants (8,9) and from the cessation of breastfeeding (6).…”

Authors’ reply re: Vaginal seeding or vaginal microbial transfer from the mother to the caesarean‐born neonate: a commentary regarding clinical management

“…Nevertheless, we should not surrender to the ‘on‐demand world’ but instead claim our seat as obstetrical experts, also in the media, and take the time to educate our patients based on the unequivocal recommendations agreed upon in obstetrical societies . In our experience, most women are discouraged from vaginal seeding when we explain that: (1) recent evidence challenges the importance of mode of delivery as a factor in seeding the developing microbiome of the neonate; (2) early skin‐to‐skin contact, breast feeding, and a healthy diet, both in pregnancy and after pregnancy, are more important for the developing microbiome (i.e. these interventions are recommendable without adding further risk); and (3) the risk of vaginal seeding is unknown as it has been investigated and reported as a potential modifier of neonatal colonisation in only four neonates.…”