Microbiota transplantation in restoring cesarean-related infant dysbiosis: a new frontier

Sina Liu1,2, Xiaoxia Luo1,2, Lepeng Zhou3,4

  • 1Microbiome Medicine Center, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.

Gut Microbes
|May 15, 2024
PubMed

C-section is crucial in reducing maternal and neonatal mortality when medically indicated, but one of its side effects could be the disruption of vertical transmission of maternal-infant microbiota during delivery, potentially leading to gut dysbiosis and increased disease risks in C-section infants. To address such dysbiosis, it seems reasonable to supplement "what is missing" during C-section procedure. This idea has prompted several clinical trials, including proof-of-concept, investigating interventions like vaginal microbial seeding, oral administration of maternal vaginal microbes and even oral administration of maternal fecal materials. Hereby, we have summarized these trials to help understand the current state of these researches, highlighting the predominantly pilot nature of most of these studies and emphasizing the need for well-designed studies with larger sample to guide evidence-based medicine in the future.