Dynamic impact of delivery modes on gut microbiota in preterm infants hospitalized during the initial 4 weeks of life

In order to understand the development and changes of the intestinal flora of NICU premature infants in neonatal period, and its relationship with the mode of delivery and other related factors, we used 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing to study the intestinal fecal microbiota, and fecal samples from preterm infants were collected at five different time points during the first four weeks of life. The collection times were sa follow :T1(1-4days after birth),T2(5-7days after birth),T3(2 weeks after birth),T4(3 weeks after birth),T5(4 weeks after birth),to investigate the distribution characteristics of the gut microbiota and the age change trend during the neonatal period for the first 4 weeks. It will provide us strategies and directions for establishing a normal gut microbiota in premature infants.