Maternal gut microbiota in the postpartum Period: A Systematic review

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Health
• Microbiome Research
• Maternal Health

Background:

• Emerging literature highlights the importance of the maternal gut microbiota postpartum.
• Understanding postpartum gut microbiome composition and diversity is crucial for maternal health.

Approach:

• A comprehensive literature synthesis was performed on studies measuring postpartum maternal gut microbiota in stool samples.
• Searches were conducted across multiple databases (PubMed, Embase, etc.) without publication time limits.
• 27 primary research articles were included after screening 2512 articles.

Key Points:

• Firmicutes was the predominant phylum, and Bacteroides the predominant genus in the early postpartum period.
• Factors such as delivery timing, probiotic use, triclosan exposure, and diet influenced the gut microbiota.
• Gut microbiota changes were associated with conditions including inflammatory bowel disease, postpartum depression, and gestational diabetes.

Conclusions:

• Limited data exists on the postpartum maternal gut microbiome and its influence on maternal health.
• Further research is needed to understand postpartum gut microbiome variations, influencing factors, and health implications.
• Investigating the postpartum gut microbiome can offer new insights for improving maternal health outcomes.