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. 2023 Aug 31:14:1154114.
doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1154114. eCollection 2023.

Maternal breastfeeding is associated with offspring microbiome diversity; a secondary analysis of the MicrobeMom randomized control trial

Cara A Yelverton  1 , Sarah Louise Killeen  1 , Conor Feehily  2   3 , Rebecca L Moore  1 , Shauna L Callaghan  1 , Aisling A Geraghty  1   4 , David F Byrne  1 , Calum J Walsh  2   3 , Elaine M Lawton  2   3 , Eileen F Murphy  5 , Douwe Van Sinderen  3   6 , Paul D Cotter  2   3 , Fionnuala M McAuliffe  1
Affiliations

Maternal breastfeeding is associated with offspring microbiome diversity; a secondary analysis of the MicrobeMom randomized control trial

Cara A Yelverton et al. Front Microbiol. .

Abstract

Background: Microbial dysbiosis in infancy can influence long-term health outcomes such as childhood obesity. The aim of this study is to explore relationships among maternal well-being during pregnancy, breastfeeding, and the infant gut microbiome.

Methods: This is a secondary analysis of healthy pregnant women from the MicrobeMom study, a double-blind randomized control trial of maternal probiotic supplementation (Bifidobacterium breve 702258) versus placebo antenatally and up to 3 months postpartum. Maternal well-being was assessed using the WHO-5 well-being index at 16 weeks' and 34 weeks' gestation. Breastfeeding practices were recorded at discharge from hospital and at 1 month postpartum. Infant stool samples were obtained at 1 month of age. Next generation shotgun sequencing determined infant microbial diversity. Independent sample t-tests and Mann-Whitney U tests informed adjusted regression analysis, which was adjusted for delivery mode, antibiotics during delivery, maternal age and body mass index (BMI), and probiotic vs. control study group.

Results: Women (n = 118) with at least one measure of well-being were on average 33 years (SD 3.93) of age and 25.09 kg/m2 (SD 3.28) BMI. Exclusive breastfeeding was initiated by 65% (n = 74). Any breastfeeding was continued by 69% (n = 81) after 1 month. In early and late pregnancy, 87% (n = 97/111) and 94% (n = 107/114) had high well-being scores. Well-being was not associated with infant microbial diversity at 1 month. In adjusted analysis, exclusive breastfeeding at discharge from hospital was associated with infant microbial beta diversity (PC2; 0.254, 95% CI 0.006, 0.038). At 1 month postpartum, any breastfeeding was associated with infant microbial alpha diversity (Shannon index; -0.241, 95% CI -0.498, -0.060) and observed species; (-0.325, 95% CI -0.307, -0.060), and infant microbial beta diversity (PC2; 0.319, 95% CI 0.013, 0.045). Exclusive breastfeeding at 1 month postpartum was associated with infant alpha diversity (Shannon index -0.364, 95% CI -0.573, -0.194; Simpson index 0.339, 95% CI 0.027, 0.091), and infant's number of observed microbial species (-0.271, 95% CI -0.172, -0.037).

Conclusion: Breastfeeding practices at 1 month postpartum were associated with lower microbial diversity and observed species in infants at 1 month postpartum, which is potentially beneficial to allow greater abundance of Bifidobacterium.

Clinical trial registration: ISRCTN53023014.

Keywords: breastfeeding; infant health; microbiome; pregnancy; well-being.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The author EM was employed by PrecisionBiotics Group Ltd. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Infant microbial alpha diversity at 1 month of age compared between well-being groups in early pregnancy (A) and late pregnancy (B). Early pregnancy well-being was measured at 16 weeks’ gestation. Late pregnancy well-being was measured at 34 weeks’ gestation. P-values were determined using independent sample T tests for the Shannon index and Mann-Whitney U tests for the Simpson index and observed species.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Beta diversity of infant microbial samples at 1 month postpartum as determined using Bray-Curtis dissimilarity measure compared between high well-being and low well-being in early pregnancy (A) and late pregnancy (B).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Alpha diversity of infant 1-month postpartum microbial samples as determined by Simpson, Shannon and observed species indices compared between breastfeeding habits of any breastfeeding at hospital discharge (A), exlcusive breastfeeding at hospital discharge (B), any breastfeeding at 1 month postpartum (C) and exclusive breastfeeding at 1 month postpartum (D). P-values were determined using independent sample T tests for the shannon index and Mann-Whitney U tests for the simpson index and observed species.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Infant microbial Beta Diversity as measured using Bray-Curtis dissimilarity measure compared between breastfeeding practices of any breastfeeding at discharge (A), exclusive breastfeeding at discharge (B), any breastfeeding at 1 month (C) and exclusive breastfeeding at 1 month (D).
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