Dietary amino acids, macronutrients, vaginal birth, and breastfeeding are associated with the vaginal microbiome in early pregnancy.

ABSTRACT: The vaginal microbiome is a key player in the etiology of spontaneous preterm birth. This study aimed to illustrate maternal environmental factors associated with vaginal microbiota composition and function in pregnancy. Women in healthy pregnancy had vaginal microbial sampling from the posterior vaginal fornix performed at 16 weeks gestation. After shotgun metagenomic sequencing, heatmaps of relative abundance data were generated. Community state type (CST) was assigned, and alpha diversity was calculated. Demography, obstetric history, well-being, exercise, and diet using food frequency questionnaires were collected and compared against microbial parameters. A total of 119 pregnant participants had vaginal metagenomic sequencing performed. Factors with strongest association with beta div

SUBMITTER: Corbett GA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11537119 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature