Birth mode-dependent association between pre-pregnancy maternal weight status and the neonatal intestinal microbiome.

Hakdong Shin,Noel T Mueller,Maria Gloria Dominguez-Bello,Aline Pizoni,Marcelo Z Goldani,Isabel C Werlang,Ursula Matte,Helena A S Goldani

doi:10.1038/srep23133

Abstract

The intestinal microbiome is a unique ecosystem that influences metabolism in humans. Experimental evidence indicates that intestinal microbiota can transfer an obese phenotype from humans to mice. Since mothers transmit intestinal microbiota to their offspring during labor, we hypothesized that among vaginal deliveries, maternal body mass index is associated with neonatal gut microbiota composition. We report the association of maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index on stool microbiota from 74 neonates, 18 born vaginally (5 to overweight or obese mothers) and 56 by elective C-section (26 to overweight or obese mothers). Compared to neonates delivered vaginally to normal weight mothers, neonates born to overweight or obese mothers had a distinct gut microbiota community structure (weighted UniFrac distance PERMANOVA, p < 0.001), enriched in Bacteroides and depleted in Enterococcus, Acinetobacter, Pseudomonas, and Hydrogenophilus. We show that these microbial signatures are predicted to result in functional differences in metabolic signaling and energy regulation. In contrast, among elective Cesarean deliveries, maternal body mass index was not associated with neonatal gut microbiota community structure (weighted UniFrac distance PERMANOVA, p = 0.628). Our findings indicate that excess maternal pre-pregnancy weight is associated with differences in neonatal acquisition of microbiota during vaginal delivery, but not Cesarean delivery. These differences may translate to altered maintenance of metabolic health in the offspring.

Highlights

Maternal intestinal microbiome during pregnancy may impact assembly of the infant intestinal microbiome and, in turn, host metabolism
It is still unknown whether the structuring of the infant intestinal microbiome by maternal weight status is a result of mother-to-offspring transmission of microbiota during labor, after birth, or even prior to birth, as has been suggested by recent study[17]
We examine the role of maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) in the assembly of the intestinal microbiome of neonates delivered vaginally vs. by elective Cesarean section (CS) without exposure to membrane rupture

Summary

Introduction

Maternal intestinal microbiome during pregnancy may impact assembly of the infant intestinal microbiome and, in turn, host metabolism. Previous studies have shown that maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) is associated with the intestinal microbial community structure of infants’ stool at 1 month, 6 months[15], and 2 years of age[16]. It is still unknown whether the structuring of the infant intestinal microbiome by maternal weight status is a result of mother-to-offspring transmission of microbiota during labor, after birth, or even prior to birth, as has been suggested by recent study[17]. We show that these microbial alterations are predicted to translate into functional metagenomic differences in metabolism and energy regulation

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Discussion

Conclusion