Abstract

BackgroundPreterm birth is one of the leading causes of perinatal morbidity and mortality. Gut microbiome dysbiosis is closely related to adverse pregnancy outcomes. However, the role of the gut microbiome in the pathogenesis of preterm birth remains poorly studied.MethodWe collected fecal samples from 41 women (cases presenting with threatened preterm labor =19, 11 of which delivered preterm; gestational age-matched no-labor controls, all of which delivered at term = 22) were recruited for the study. We performed 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing to compare the composition of the gut microbiome in threatened preterm labor cases and controls and among women who delivered preterm and at term. By annotating taxonomic biomarkers with the Human Oral Microbiome Database, we observed an increased abundance of potential oral-to-gut bacteria in preterm patients.ResultsPatients with preterm birth showed a distinct gut microbiome dysbiosis compared with those who delivered at term. Opportunistic pathogens, particularly Porphyromonas, Streptococcus, Fusobacterium, and Veillonella, were enriched, whereas Coprococcus and Gemmiger were markedly depleted in the preterm group. Most of the enriched bacteria were annotated oral bacteria using the Human Oral Microbiome Database. These potential oral-to-gut bacteria were correlated with clinical parameters that reflected maternal and fetal status.ConclusionsThis study suggests that patients who deliver preterm demonstrate altered gut microbiome that may contain higher common oral bacteria.

Highlights

  • Preterm birth, defined as birth before 37 weeks, is one of the leading causes of global neonatal morbidity

  • Patients with preterm birth showed a distinct gut microbiome dysbiosis compared with those who delivered at term

  • This study suggests that patients who deliver preterm demonstrate altered gut microbiome that may contain higher common oral bacteria

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Summary

Introduction

Preterm birth, defined as birth before 37 weeks, is one of the leading causes of global neonatal morbidity. Preterm birth complications can increase the risk of metabolic abnormalities, respiratory distress, and poor neurobehavioral development in mothers and newborns (Mwaniki et al, 2012; Platt, 2014). While the changes in the maternal vaginal microbiome and the development of the infant microbiome across different body sites have been well studied, the relationship between the maternal gut microbiome and preterm birth is rarely reported (Mychaliska, 2014). Preterm birth is one of the leading causes of perinatal morbidity and mortality. The role of the gut microbiome in the pathogenesis of preterm birth remains poorly studied

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