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Maternal Intrapartum Antibiotic Administration and Infantile Colic: Is there a Connection?
Elli Leppälehto1, Anna Pärtty2, Marko Kalliomäki1,2
1Department of Paediatrics, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.
Insights
Infants given antibiotics during birth showed higher rates of colic. This suggests a link between early gut bacteria and colic, highlighting a potential target for prevention in newborns.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Microbiology
- Neonatal Health
Background:
- The cause of infantile colic is unknown.
- Altered gut microbiota composition is observed in infants with colic.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the link between perinatal factors influencing gut colonization and infantile colic.
- To identify potential risk factors for colic development.
Main Methods:
- Study included 48 infants with colic and 29 controls from ongoing clinical studies.
- Compared perinatal factors, including intrapartum antibiotic use and breastfeeding, between groups.
Main Results:
- Intrapartum antibiotic use and breastfeeding rates differed significantly between colic and control groups.
- A statistically significant association was found between intrapartum antibiotic exposure and infantile colic, even after adjusting for confounders.
Conclusions:
- Intrapartum antibiotic exposure may impact early gut colonization, potentially contributing to colic development.
- Antibiotic-exposed neonates are a potential target group for future preventive interventions.
Background:
The aetiology of infantile colic remains unknown. However, altered gut microbiota composition has been reported in children with the disorder.
Objective:
The objective of this study was to determine the associations between perinatal factors potentially affecting gut colonization and infantile colic.
Methods:
Altogether 48 infants with colic and 29 controls were selected from 2 ongoing clinical studies. Infants with and without colic were comparable with regard to their background characteristics.
Results:
A significant difference was detected in intrapartum antibiotic use and breastfeeding rates between infants with and without colic. The association between exposure to intrapartum antibiotics and infantile colic remained statistically significant after adjusting for potential confounding factors.
Conclusions:
Since intrapartum antibiotic exposure may have an effect on early gut colonization, our finding is consistent with the association between aberrant early gut microbiota composition and development of colic. Antibiotic-exposed neonates may represent a novel target group for preventive intervention studies.
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