Maternal Microbiota, Prepregnancy Weight, and Mode of Delivery

Pediatric overweight (OW) and obesity (OB) are a major public health problem, reaching pandemic proportions. Among the multiple factors involved in the development of childhood obesity, data accrued during the last few years indicate that pediatric OWOB may be a result of intergenerational transmission. Maternal weight, mode of birth delivery, and composition of the neonatal intestinal microbiota (IM), which tends to be affected by maternal factors before pregnancy, appear to play an increasingly important role. However, published data are sparse and sometimes inconsistent.
Source: JAMA Pediatrics - Category: Pediatrics Source Type: research