Understanding How Gut Health Affects Mothers and Babies During Pregnancy

Jim Crocker
13th August, 2024

Understanding How Gut Health Affects Mothers and Babies During Pregnancy

Image Source: Natural Science News, 2024

Key Findings

  • The study in Matiari District, Pakistan, investigates how the gut microbiome affects maternal weight gain and birth outcomes in undernourished pregnant women
  • Maternal weight and gut microbiome composition are monitored from early to late pregnancy to understand their impact on birth weight and infant growth
  • The research aims to uncover new ways to improve maternal and infant health by optimizing nutrition through understanding the gut microbiome's role
Undernutrition during pregnancy is a critical issue linked to adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes, with downstream effects on the growth and development of children. Recent research conducted by Aga Khan University aims to investigate the relationship between gut microbiome composition and maternal nutritional status, and how this interplay affects pregnancy and infant outcomes in settings with a high prevalence of undernutrition[1]. The study is a prospective, longitudinal observational study involving 400 pregnant women aged 17-24 years from the Matiari District, Pakistan. These women are categorized based on their body mass index (BMI) into low and normal BMI groups at the time of recruitment (<16 weeks of gestation). The primary focus is to understand how the gut microbiome, comprising both prokaryotic (bacterial) and eukaryotic (fungal and parasitic) microbes, influences maternal weight gain during pregnancy and subsequent birth outcomes. To achieve this, maternal weight is measured in the first and third trimesters to monitor gestational weight gain. The dynamics of the gut microbiome are assessed using 16S and 18S rDNA surveys applied to maternal stool samples. Birth outcomes, including birth weight, small for gestational age (SGA), large for gestational age, preterm birth, and mortality, are meticulously recorded. Additionally, infant growth and nutritional parameters are tracked using WHO z-scores for weight, length, and head circumference at birth through infancy. This research builds upon earlier findings that highlight the importance of maternal nutrition before and during early pregnancy. For instance, a systematic review has shown that periconceptional folic acid supplementation significantly reduces the risk of neural tube defects, and that maternal nutritional status is crucial for favorable maternal, neonatal, and child health outcomes[2]. Similarly, another study emphasized that inadequate nutrition during critical developmental periods, such as gestation and early neonatal life, can adversely affect neurodevelopment and increase the risk of co-morbidities[3]. The current study from Aga Khan University delves deeper into the gut microbiome's role, examining how maternal exposure to various pathogens and parasites affects both maternal and infant microbiome composition. Advanced techniques like metatranscriptomics and metabolomics, as well as markers of inflammation, are used to analyze variations in dietary intake and maternal nutritional status. The study also employs animal models to explore the bacterial and eukaryotic components of the microbiome in more detail. This investigation is particularly significant in low-income and middle-income countries, where maternal and child malnutrition remains a prevalent issue. Previous research has indicated that maternal undernutrition contributes to fetal growth restriction, increasing the risk of neonatal deaths and stunting by two years of age[4]. Additionally, low birthweight, which includes preterm and growth-restricted babies, is associated with higher mortality risks[5]. By focusing on the gut microbiome, the current study aims to uncover new pathways and mechanisms through which maternal nutrition can be optimized to improve pregnancy and infant outcomes. The comprehensive approach of this study, which includes the analysis of micronutrients in serum and macronutrients in stool, as well as the assessment of the maternal microbiome's impact on infant development, represents a significant advancement in understanding the complex interactions between diet, microbiome, and health outcomes. The findings from this research are expected to inform future interventions aimed at improving maternal and child health in undernourished populations, potentially reducing the high disease burden associated with malnutrition. Ethical approval for the study has been obtained from the National Bioethics Committee in Pakistan, the Ethics Review Committee at Aga Khan University, and the Research Ethics Board at the Hospital for Sick Children. The results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed journals, contributing valuable insights to the scientific community and public health policymakers.

MedicineNutritionHealth

References

Main Study

1) Elucidating the dynamics and impact of the gut microbiome on maternal nutritional status during pregnancy, effect on pregnancy outcomes and infant health in rural Pakistan: study protocol for a prospective, longitudinal observational study.

Published 12th August, 2024

https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2023-081629

Related Studies

2) Effect of women's nutrition before and during early pregnancy on maternal and infant outcomes: a systematic review.

https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-3016.2012.01281.x

3) The association between restricted intra-uterine growth and inadequate postnatal nutrition in very-low-birth-weight infants and their neurodevelopmental outcomes: a 50-month follow-up study.

https://doi.org/10.1017/S000711452100132X

4) Maternal and child undernutrition and overweight in low-income and middle-income countries.

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(13)60937-X

5) Mortality risk in preterm and small-for-gestational-age infants in low-income and middle-income countries: a pooled country analysis.

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(13)60993-9


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