Posted on 04/15/2023 7:10:16 PM PDT by ConservativeMind
A randomized trial assessing whether the oral transfer of gut microbiota from mother to baby can safely restore normal microbiota after cesarean section (C-section) has found that over 42% of healthy mothers tested positive for potentially harmful pathogens and were unable to proceed with the transplant.
The new research underscores the importance of screening fecal, perineal and vaginal samples to ensure safety of the transplant process.
Birth by C-section is associated with an increased risk of many immune-related diseases, suggesting that the lack of maternal microbes in early life may have long-term health consequences for children.
Vaginally born infants receive gut bacteria from the mother at birth. But C-section babies are not exposed to maternal fecal microbes and this prevents the natural transfer of microbes from mother to baby.
Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) has been successfully used in adults to normalize gut microbiota composition and cure diseases such as recurrent Clostridium difficile infections.
The new randomized trial being conducted in Helsinki University Hospital is investigating whether the intestinal microbiota of C-section babies can be postnatally enriched by orally-delivered FMT from their own mothers within 2 hours of birth. The babies are either given 3.5 mg of the transplants or placebo mixed in mother's milk.
Because feces can contain dangerous pathogens, samples are first carefully and thoroughly screened.
Since autumn 2019, the trial has recruited 90 healthy pregnant women scheduled for elective C-section.
All of the mothers were asymptomatic (i.e., no diarrhea or abnormal bowel functions) and none had been prescribed antibiotics or traveled outside of Europe in the three months prior to screening.
Out of 90 tested mothers, 38 (42%) had pathogen positive samples and were not able to continue with the transplant (see link to poster in notes to editors with up-to-date data).
(Excerpt) Read more at medicalxpress.com ...
I would think 40% of mothers would still be giving pathogenic bacteria, one way or another, via normal birth.
I would think that this might be a good place to use a lab cultured product where you can practice some screening control.
“C-section babies are not exposed to maternal fecal microbes”
OK, so how are babies delivered vaginally exposed to fecal microbes?
Sounds like a hygiene issue. All of my kids were C-sections. 20+ years later and no problems—and no fecal transplants either, jeez…
Babies born the natural way get some of their mother's poop on them. It helps establish a good biome along with the mother's colostrum, her first breast milk produced for a day or two after birth. Studies have found that babies deprived of either of these have a statistically higher chance of developing autism.
Mother's poop has been ok for babies since the dawn of mankind.
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2023-03-babies-gut-microbiome-mothers-vaginal.html
The above study says the vaginal biome doesn’t affect the baby’s gut, so vaginal birth vs c-section wouldn’t matter anyway...
Ah science. Contradictory results.
Very interesting. That never occurred to me - either the proximal deposition of a bit of fecal material on the newborn or that it was good for the newborn. That is amazing.
Two of our three were C-section. Middle one was natural. No problems, either. They are ll in their early and mid 30s now.
Yes, that would seem logical. The article didn't give a reason that pathogens would be higher for C-section babies but if babies get what they need from a vaginal birth a very tiny amount must be sufficient.
What role does breastfeeding play in all that?
Does that help impart beneficial bacteria to the baby?
FWIW, I have been doing a lot of research into probiotics and some of the most benefical ones and came up with these interesting sources.
Histamine Lowering Probiotics for People with Mast Cell Activation Syndrome and Histamine Intolerance
https://mastcell360.com/histamine-lowering-probiotics-for-people-with-mast-cell-activation-syndrome-and-histamine-intolerance/
Benefits of the Probiotic Lactobacillus Rhamnosus GG
https://www.pursuit-of-happiness.org/benefits-of-the-probiotic-lactobacillus-rhamnosus-gg/
Saccharomyces Boulardii: The Antibiotic Resistant Probiotic
https://www.mygenefood.com/blog/saccharomyces-boulardii-antibiotic-resistant-probiotic/
Just FYI.
Scraping the bottom here? Newborns are washed off immediately and mom is essentiaĺly covered. This really seems weird.
“Scraping the bottom”
I suppose that’s how it does happen.
Exposure breeds immunity.
I totally agree.
If poop was good for babies, my mom and grandmother would have been talking about it.
Babies do get some bacteria from breast milk, with l. Reuteri being identified that way, originally.
the way to solve this problem is to get fecal transplants from great athletes.
And that one is one of the best.
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