A recent study by researchers from Bournemouth University, in collaboration with the Dorset University Hospitals in the UK, published in the British medical journal Pediatrics in early July of this year, found that the child's method of birth and exposure to antibiotics shortly after birth are linked to differences in the growth of the infant gut microbiome.
It is known that the growth of gut microbes in the early stages of life is critically important for immune health and metabolism, and the more beneficial microbial diversity in the infant's gut, the better it reflects on their overall health.
Microbial diversity in the gut begins at birth and develops rapidly during the first year of life, with the early stages of life representing a critical period for programming microbes and the immune system, providing protection against the risks of allergic and metabolic diseases and reducing inflammation occurrences. As such, infants should not be exposed to factors that diminish this diversity, whether through the method of birth or certain treatments.
This study is the first of its kind to discuss the combined effect of the method of delivery and antibiotic exposure on gut microbiome growth, with researchers analyzing data from 11 previous studies involving over 5,000 healthy infants.
The results showed an increased abundance of beneficial bacteria following natural birth, especially in infants who were not exposed to antibiotics, while a decrease in microbial diversity and a deficit in beneficial bacteria occurred following cesarean delivery or antibiotic exposure in the postpartum period.
The study also found that complete reliance on breastfeeding for infants born via cesarean section or those exposed to antibiotics may reduce these differences, adding new benefits to breastfeeding in the first 6 months of life.
The researchers explained that the reason for these findings is that cesarean delivery avoids exposure to the mother’s vaginal and gut microbes, resulting in changes in the microbial makeup, which becomes dominated by different skin and environmental bacterial types, leading to a notable decrease in beneficial bacteria essential for the maturation of the immune system and gut integrity.
The real problem is that cesarean delivery rates currently exceed 30 percent in many countries, and it is projected to approach 29 percent globally by 2030, raising concerns about the implications for children's health later regarding microbial transmission and immune system integrity.
At the same time, exposure of infants to antibiotics in the postpartum period further disrupts microbial diversity, as antibiotics suppress the mother’s store of beneficial bacteria, reducing good microbial diversity and encouraging the presence of resistant bacterial types. These disruptions can last for several months, especially among infants not exclusively breastfeeding.
Although the study confirmed the importance of cesarean delivery and the administration of antibiotics when medically needed, it warned against excessive reliance on these medical interventions without urgent health necessity due to the negative effects on the gut microbiome.
In conclusion, the study emphasized the need to adhere to WHO recommendations regarding exclusive breastfeeding for at least six months and rational use of antibiotics during the postpartum period.