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Updated: Nov 15, 2025
Probiotic Studies in Neonatal Mice Using Gavage
Published on: January 27, 2019
When a Neonate Is Born, So Is a Microbiota
Alessandra Coscia1, Flaminia Bardanzellu2, Elisa Caboni2
1Neonatology Unit, Department of Public Health and Pediatrics, Università degli Studi di Torino, 10124 Turin, Italy.
Insights
The human microbiota, established before birth, significantly impacts lifelong health. Maternal health and perinatal factors like delivery mode and nutrition shape this crucial early bacterial colonization.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Human Microbiome Research
- Perinatal Health
Background:
- The human body hosts a unique microbiota from fetal development onwards.
- Early life microbial colonization influences long-term health and well-being.
- Maternal health and habits significantly impact fetal and neonatal microbiota.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review pre- and perinatal factors influencing neonatal microbiota.
- To highlight the impact of early microbiota on lifelong health.
- To emphasize the role of maternal and neonatal factors in shaping the microbiome.
Main Methods:
- Narrative review of existing literature.
- Analysis of studies on maternal and neonatal microbiota.
- Synthesis of data on factors influencing microbial colonization.
Main Results:
- Human microbiota colonization begins during fetal life, not after birth.
- Maternal genital microbiota influences fertility and pregnancy outcomes.
- Delivery mode, nutrition (e.g., breastfeeding), and drug administration affect neonatal microbiota.
Conclusions:
- Pre- and perinatal factors critically shape the neonatal microbiome.
- Early life microbial exposure has lasting effects on offspring health.
- Understanding these factors is key to optimizing infant health through microbiome modulation.
Abstract:
In recent years, the role of human microbiota as a short- and long-term health promoter and modulator has been affirmed and progressively strengthened. In the course of one's life, each subject is colonized by a great number of bacteria, which constitute its specific and individual microbiota. Human bacterial colonization starts during fetal life, in opposition to the previous paradigm of the "sterile womb". Placenta, amniotic fluid, cord blood and fetal tissues each have their own specific microbiota, influenced by maternal health and habits and having a decisive influence on pregnancy outcome and offspring outcome. The maternal microbiota, especially that colonizing the genital system, starts to influence the outcome of pregnancy already before conception, modulating fertility and the success rate of fertilization, even in the case of assisted reproduction techniques. During the perinatal period, neonatal microbiota seems influenced by delivery mode, drug administration and many other conditions. Special attention must be reserved for early neonatal nutrition, because breastfeeding allows the transmission of a specific and unique lactobiome able to modulate and positively affect the neonatal gut microbiota. Our narrative review aims to investigate the currently identified pre- and peri-natal factors influencing neonatal microbiota, before conception, during pregnancy, pre- and post-delivery, since the early microbiota influences the whole life of each subject.
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