Our zeroeth birthday present
We inherit our microbiomes from
our mother,
picking up billions of them as we slide from her largely bacteria-free womb
through her microbe-laden vagina. Being slathered in vaginal microbes might not
seem like much of a treat but it’s vital for a newborn.
Babies
end up with a very different portfolio of skin and gut bacteria depending on
how they are delivered. Those who are born naturally harbor a more diverse
array of bacteria, which resemble those in their mother’s vagina, including
several species that are important for digestion. Those who are delivered by
C-section are colonised by a less diverse array of bacteria, including some
like Staphylococcus that are picked up from the
hospital environment.
These
early differences could directly affect a baby’s health for these first
colonisers determine which the species that will follow. The bacterial
heirlooms that babies inherit from their mothers might act as a shield,
preventing more dangerous microbes like from setting up shop. By changing
baby’s first bacteria, C-sections could alter the make-up of their later
communities, leading to long-term effects on health and nutrition.
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