Association between maternal food group intake during pregnancy and maternal and infant gut microbiota

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVESThe maternal diet during pregnancy provides all nutrient requirements to optimize the fetus's growth. However, it can also affect the infant’s health by modulating its gut microbiota composition in utero. Forming the first neonatal microbiota composition may play an essential role in determining the susceptibility to various diseases in the future. Since a healthy intrapartum dietary pattern can affect both mother and infant microbiota and their long-term health, we aimed to investigate the association between maternal food group intakes during pregnancy and maternal and infant gut microbiota.MATERIALS AND METHODSIn this prospective cohort study, ۴۶ mothers were included in the third trimester of pregnancy. Overall ۵ ۲۴-hour dietary recalls were recorded for each of them. Mother’s stool and infant meconium samples were collected after birth in an aseptic condition. DNA was extracted and PCR, and maternal- neonatal microbiota profiling were assessed by universal-۱۶SrRNA gene sequencing.RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONOut of ۷۲۴ bacteria found in ۵۰ genera in the mothers’ stool samples and ۲۷۲ in ۲۵ genera in the infants’ meconium samples, the highest frequency of genera and number was gracilicutes bacteria in both the mother and infant. ۱۶ bacteria were common in mother and neonate flora. ۳۴ and ۶ bacteria were specific for the mother and neonate intestinal microbial population, respectively.CONCLUSIONOur findings demonstrated that dietary intake during pregnancy is associated with maternal and neonatal gut microbiota.

کلیدواژه ها:

Diet ، Gut microbiota ، Pregnancy