Extremely preterm neonates have more Lactobacillus in meconium than very preterm neonates - the in utero microbial colonization hypothesis.

ABSTRACT: Growing evidence suggests that maternal microbiota can influence the neonates' gut colonization. However, the mechanisms of vertical bacterial transmission remain poorly defined. We believed that the first colonizers of the newborn come from the mother's gut and vagina during pregnancy and that this is independent of the mode of delivery. We conducted an observational longitudinal study to evaluate the link between the maternal gut microbiota and the meconium's microbiota in extremely and very preterm neonates. Bacterial DNA was extracted from samples and specific bacterial groups were quantified by RT-PCR. In this cohort of 117 preterm neonates, we detected bacterial DNA in 88% of meconium samples. Meconium microbiota of neonates born after 28 gestational weeks (very preterm neonates) sho

SUBMITTER: Morais J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7524394 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature