The placenta, once thought sterile, actually harbors a world of bacteria that may influence the course of pregnancy and help shape an infant’s health and the bacterial makeup of its gut, a new study has found.
The research is part of a broader scientific effort to explore the microbiome, the trillions of microbes — bacteria, viruses, and fungi — that colonize the human body, inside and out.
Those organisms affect digestion, metabolism, and an unknown array of biological processes, and may play a role in the development of obesity, diabetes, and other illnesses.
During pregnancy, the authors of the new study suspect, the wrong mix of bacteria in the placenta may contribute to premature births, a devastating problem worldwide.
Although the research is preliminary, it may help explain why periodontal disease and urinary infections in pregnant women are linked to an increased risk of premature birth.
The findings also suggest a need for more studies on the effects of antibiotics taken during pregnancy.
The new study suggests that babies may acquire an important part of their normal gut bacteria from the placenta.
If further research confirms the findings, that may be reassuring news for women who have had cesarean sections.
Some researchers have suggested that babies born by cesarean miss out on helpful bacteria that they would normally be exposed to in the birth canal.