Exploring the maternal LEGACY during infant stool microbiome development

Alterations in gut microbiome composition during early infancy have been associated with negative health outcomes in later life. Birth mode has been implicated as a major factor influencing neonatal gut microbiome development and it has been assumed that exposure to the maternal vaginal microbiome during birth is responsible for delivery mode-related dysbiosis. Consequently, unproven practices aiming to correct the gut microbiome of caesarean-delivered infants, such as vaginal seeding, have arisen despite a lack of robust research. We use cpn60 microbiome profiling to explore relationships between vaginal, milk, breast skin and infant skin microbiota in a cohort of 623 Canadian mothers and their infants.