Late preterm birth has direct and indirect effects on infant gut microbiota development during the first six months of life.

ABSTRACT:

Aim

Preterm infants display aberrant gut microbial colonisation. We investigated whether the differences in gut microbiota between late preterm and full-term infants results from prematurity or external exposures.

Methods

This study comprised 43 late preterm infants (34^0/7 -36^6/7 ) and 75 full-term infants based on faecal samples collected following birth and at two to four weeks and six months of age. We assessed clinically relevant bacteria using quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Logistic regression analyses were performed to determine whether the observed differences in gut microbiota were attributable to prematurity or perinatal exposure.

Results

The prevalence of bifidobacteria differed in the intestinal microbiota of the full-term and

SUBMITTER: Forsgren M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5763336 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature