The Association between Gut Microbiome and Pregnancy-Induced Hypertension: A Nested Case-Control Study

Area of Science:

• Microbiome research
• Maternal-fetal medicine
• Gastroenterology

Background:

• Pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) is linked to gut dysbiosis in late pregnancy.
• Mechanisms connecting early pregnancy gut microbiome to PIH remain unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between the gut microbiome in early pregnancy and the subsequent development of PIH.
• To identify specific microbial and functional alterations in the first trimester associated with PIH.

Main Methods:

• Nested case-control study utilizing a follow-up cohort.
• Metagenomic sequencing of gut microbiome profiles from 35 PIH patients and 35 matched controls in the first trimester.
• Analysis of microbial diversity, species abundance, and functional pathways.

Main Results:

• Altered gut microbiota diversity was observed in early pregnancy.
• Specific bacterial species were enriched in either healthy controls (e.g., *Akkermansia muciniphila*) or PIH patients (e.g., *Eubacterium rectale*).
• Functional analysis suggested PIH-associated microbial changes impact vitamin K2, sphingolipid, and glycine metabolism, potentially affecting blood pressure.

Conclusions:

• Gut microbiota dysbiosis associated with PIH originates in the first trimester.
• Early pregnancy gut microbiome alterations may play a role in PIH pathogenesis.
• Altered microbial metabolic functions are implicated in the development of PIH.