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Relationship of SCFAs to Maternal and Child Anthropometric Measurements

Małgorzata Szczuko1,2, Natalia Szabunia1, Julia Radkiewicz1

  • 1Department of Human Nutrition and Metabolomics, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, 70-204 Szczecin, Poland.

International Journal of Molecular Sciences
|July 12, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Maternal gut microbiota metabolites, specifically short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), influence infant metabolic programming. Higher SCFA levels correlate with increased maternal and neonatal body weight, impacting infant health.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Metabolism
  • Neonatal Health

Background:

  • Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) play crucial roles in host metabolism and physiological functions.
  • Maternal gut microbiota interactions during pregnancy, delivery, and breastfeeding may influence offspring metabolic programming.
  • Investigating the link between maternal microbiota metabolites and infant development is essential for understanding early-life health.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the association between maternal anthropometric measurements and infant fecal SCFA concentrations.
  • To determine correlations between infant birth weight, diet, and SCFA levels.
  • To investigate the role of maternal gut microbiota metabolites in the metabolic programming of offspring.

Main Methods:

  • Collection of fecal samples from 82 newborns and their mothers.
  • Quantification of SCFAs in infant feces using gas chromatography with a flame ionization detector.
  • Statistical analysis to identify correlations between SCFA concentrations, maternal measurements, and infant parameters.

Main Results:

  • Significant correlations were found between infant SCFA levels and maternal pre-pregnancy weight, BMI, and weight gain during pregnancy.
  • Associations were observed between SCFA content in neonatal feces and infant birth weight and diet, including breastfeeding.
  • Increased SCFA levels were linked to higher maternal and neonatal body weight, with branched-chain SCFAs (BCFAs) specifically associated with neonatal body weight.

Conclusions:

  • Provides indirect evidence for maternal gut microbiota metabolites influencing infant metabolic programming via SCFAs.
  • Confirms the association between elevated SCFA levels and increased maternal and neonatal body weight.
  • Suggests potential preventive and intervention strategies for maternal and infant health based on SCFA modulation.

Keywords:
BCFAsBMISCFAsbody massmetabolic programming

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