The effect of probiotics oral administration during gestation on infant gut microbiota in early life

Background Probiotics have been widely used by pregnant women, but the effect of probiotics on the infant gut microbiota has not been clearly confirmed.This study aimed at investigating the effects of probiotics oral administration during the third trimester on infants' gut microbiota within the first 6 months following vaginal delivery. Methods Healthy Chinese pregnant women were recruited and randomly divided into the probiotic group and the control group. The first-pass meconium samples and the fecal samples of infants were collected by trained personnel on 3 days, 14 days, 6 months following vaginal birth. The 16SrRNA gene sequencing technology was applied to analyze the infants' gut microbiota. Results 1. Firmicutes and Proteobacteria were the most dominant phyla in both control and probiotic groups within the first 6 months of life. 2. The diversity of the infants gut microbiota had no difference between the two groups at any time points during the first 6 months of life. 3. There was a lower relative abundance of Bacteroidetes of the probiotic group infants compared with that of the control group infants on 0 day, 14 days as well as 6 months. 4. The probiotic group infants displayed a higher Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes ratio(F/B ratio) than the control group during the neonatal period. Conclusion The probiotics oral administration during the third trimester may decreased the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes of their 6 months infants gut microbiota, and increased the Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes ratio. But the effect on the diversity of infants gut microbiota was limited.