Systematic analysis of gut microbiota in pregnant women and its correlations with individual heterogeneity

Abstract

The woman’s gut microbiota during pregnancy may support nutrient acquisition, is associated with diseases, and has been linked to infant health. However, there is limited information on gut microbial characteristics and dependence in pregnant women. In this study, we provide a comprehensive overview of the gut microbial characteristics of 1479 pregnant women using 16S rRNA gene sequencing of fecal samples. We identify a core microbiota of pregnant women, which displays a similar overall structure to that of age-matched nonpregnant women. Our data show that the gestational age-associated variation in the gut microbiota, from the ninth week of gestation to antepartum, is relatively limited. Building upon rich metadata, we reveal a set of exogenous and intrinsic host factors that are highly correlated with the variation in gut microbial community composition and function. These microbiota covariates are concentrated in basic host properties (e.g., age and residency status) and blood clinical parameters, suggesting that individual heterogeneity is the major force shaping the gut microbiome during pregnancy. Moreover, we identify microbial and functional markers that are associated with age, pre-pregnancy body mass index, residency status, and pre-pregnancy and gestational diseases. The gut microbiota during pregnancy is also different between women with high or low gestational weight gain. Our study demonstrates the structure, gestational age-associated variation, and associations with host factors of the gut microbiota during pregnancy and strengthens the understanding of microbe–host interactions. The results from this study offer new materials and prospects for gut microbiome research in clinical and diagnostic fields.

Gestational insulin resistance is mediated by the gut microbiome-indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase axis

“…Choice of 3 different strains of mice (from different vendors) each with distinct prepregnancy microbiomes 9, 10 , phenotypic characteristics and propensities for metabolic disorders 38,39 , have allowed us to uniquely capture genotypic and phenotypic diversity of the microbial population cohorts 39 . Our GM profiling results recapitulated aspects of previously reported pregnancy-specific GM features during the course of gestation and post-partum including changes in alpha diversity 5 and relatively stable beta diversity 40 , with distinctive phyla, and genus level changes at each gestational time-point 5 . With progression of pregnancy, a drift towards GM features associated with obesity, IR, gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and a proinflammatory states occurs 5,23 .…”

“…previously reported pregnancy-specific GM features during the course of gestation and post-partum including changes in alpha diversity 5 and relatively stable beta diversity 40 , with distinctive phyla, and genus level changes at each gestational time-point 5 . With progression of pregnancy, a drift towards GM features associated with obesity, IR, gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and a proinflammatory states occurs 5,23 .…”

Maternal fecal microbiome predicts gestational age, birth weight and neonatal growth in rural Zimbabwe.

“…These alterations in the maternal microbiome may contribute directly to fetal growth, or indirectly through influences on maternal nutritional status and gestational weight gain. In contrast, other studies have reported no differences in gut microbiome composition during pregnancy [9] or have reported that the effect of other host characteristics such as prepregnancy weight, gestational weight gain, fasting blood glucose, and place of residence explain 3-5 fold more variance in microbiome composition than stage of pregnancy [13].…”

Data-Driven Modeling of Pregnancy-Related Complications

“…Similarly, pathogenic oral microbes can lead to PTB via systemic inflammation from oral disease or through hematogenous colonization of the amniotic fluid [87]. Finally, the gut microbiome, with its role in the metabolism of small molecules and hormones and in the regulation of metabolic and immune processes, has been linked to GDM and PTB when unbalanced [88]. Overall, the various omics technologies hold great potential to help elucidate the biological components of the pathologies of pregnancy.…”