How does vaginal birth, breastfeeding, genetics, diet, antibiotics and other factors affect the infant microbiome?

Quick Summary: A new review paper summaries the factors that can impact the establishment of the early-life microbiome. This can have a major influence on human development and long-term health.

Ever wondered what factors affect the early establishment of the infant microbiome? And why does it matter?

A really good new review summarises which different factors influence the infant gut.

These factors affect the initial colonisation, the development and function of the infant gut microbiome. This can have a major influence on human development and long-term health.

The review is by Linehan K et al., Microbiome Res Rep (2022).

Personally — I really do love the first part of the paper title. “First encounters of the microbial kind”. Very clever. Hats off to whoever came up with that!

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According to this review, the factors affecting the infant microbiome include:

➡️ Possible in utero transfer (still a subject of hot scientific debate)

➡️ Environment (home-birth or hospital birth)