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First 1000 Days and Beyond After Birth: Gut Microbiota and Necrotizing Enterocolitis in Preterm Infants
Shuqin Zeng1, Junjie Ying1, Shiping Li1
1Department of Pediatrics, West China Second University Hospital, Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children (Sichuan University), Ministry of Education, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Insights
Preterm birth impacts infant health globally. This study examines the disordered gut microbiota in preterm infants, linking it to health issues and necrotizing enterocolitis.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Neonatal Health
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Preterm birth is a significant global health concern with increasing rates.
- Disordered gut microbiota in preterm infants negatively affects growth and development.
- Systemic physiological immaturity contributes to gut dysbiosis in neonates.
Purpose of the Study:
- To discuss the global prevalence of preterm birth.
- To highlight gut microbiota signatures in preterm infants during the first 1000 days.
- To explore the association between preterm birth complications and gut microbiota.
Main Methods:
- Literature review on preterm birth prevalence.
- Analysis of gut microbiota composition in preterm infants.
- Correlation of clinical phenotypes with gut microbiota profiles.
Main Results:
- Preterm birth rates are rising globally, necessitating interventions.
- Gut microbiota succession in preterm infants shows distinct patterns.
- Necrotizing enterocolitis is a potential clinical phenotype linked to gut dysbiosis.
Conclusions:
- Understanding preterm infant gut microbiota is crucial for managing health outcomes.
- Further research is needed to elucidate microbiota-host interactions.
- Targeting gut microbiota may offer therapeutic strategies for preterm infants.
Abstract:
Preterm birth remains a major maternal and infant health issue worldwide particularly with an increase in the global preterm birth rate, which requires more interventions to manage the consequences of preterm birth. In addition to traditional complications, recent studies have shown that the succession of gut microbiota of preterm infants is disordered due to the systemic physiological immaturity, which confers negative influences on the growth, development, and health of infants. In the present study, we briefly discussed the prevalence of preterm birth worldwide and then highlighted the signatures of gut microbiota in preterm infants within the first 1000 days of life after the birth categorized into birth, infancy, and childhood. Afterward, we focused on the potential association of clinical phenotypes typically associated with preterm birth (i.e., necrotizing enterocolitis) with gut microbiota, and the potential directions for future studies in this field are finally discussed.
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