Early-life gut and oral microbiota development: a multi-niche study including mother-partner-infant triads.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Early gastrointestinal microbiota establishment is crucial for host metabolism and immune development, with delivery mode and breastfeeding playing key roles. Vaginal delivery promotes colonization by maternal vaginal and gut microbes, while Caesarean section delivery leads to exposures of environmental and skin-derived microbiota. Although maternal contributions have been studied, the role of paternal exposure in shaping infant microbiota remains underexplored. We hypothesized that both parents influence infant microbiota establishment and therefore investigated the contributions of maternal and paternal microbes, as well as delivery mode, on infant oral and fecal microbiota within 48 h of birth and at 1 month of age.

Methods

We analysed the gut and oral microbio

SUBMITTER: Simonyte Sjodin K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12619262 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature