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Vaginal seeding involves using a cotton gauze or swab to collect vaginal fluids and transfer them to a newborn's mouth, nose, or skin. This practice is typically done after cesarean deliveries, where the baby doesn’t naturally come into contact with the mother’s vaginal bacteria. The goal of vaginal seeding is to introduce maternal vaginal bacteria to the infant, with the idea that it may promote proper gut colonization and potentially reduce the risk of conditions like asthma, allergies, and immune disorders, which have been linked to rising cesarean delivery rates.
What we know:
A study found that 30 cesarean-born infants who underwent vaginal seeding had fecal and skin microbiota that more closely resembled those of vaginally born infants during their first year (Kelly, Nolan & Good, 2021).
Infant microbiota showed more variability compared to maternal microbiota, with cesarean-born infants having the highest variability, vaginal-born infants the lowest, and vaginally seeded infants displaying intermediate variability in their fecal, oral, and skin samples (Kelly, Nolan & Good, 2021).
Research on vaginal microbiota transfer (VMT) through exposure to maternal vaginal fluids revealed that this process significantly accelerated the maturation of gut microbiota in newborns (Zhou et al., 2023).
They also demonstrated that VMT regulated levels of certain fecal metabolites and metabolic functions, including carbohydrate, energy, and amino acid metabolism, within 42 days after birth (Zhou et al., 2023).
VMT also can influence infant neurodevelopment by enhancing various metabolites (Zhou et al., 2023).
Industry impact & potential:
While vaginal seeding shows potential, its long-term effects on health outcomes still needs to be investigated.
VMT may influence infant neurodevelopment by enhancing various metabolites; however, the precise mechanisms behind this effect need further investigation for clarification (Zhou et al., 2023).
Our solution:
At Sequential, we conduct research on the vaginal microbiome to understand its role in women's health. Our efforts center around leveraging cutting-edge sequencing technologies to thoroughly analyze microbial communities. By characterizing these communities, we aim to identify specific biomarkers that can indicate health conditions or risks. This research not only enhances our understanding of the vaginal microbiome's role in overall well-being but also aids in developing targeted solutions for maintaining vaginal health.
Reference:
Committee Opinion No. 725: Vaginal Seeding. Obstet Gynecol. 2017 Nov;130(5):e274-e278.
doi: 10.1097/AOG.0000000000002402. PMID: 29064974.
Kelly JC, Nolan LS, Good M. Vaginal seeding after cesarean birth: Can we build a better
infant microbiome? Med. 2021 Aug 13;2(8):889-891. doi: 10.1016/j.medj.2021.07.003. PMID: 35590163.
Zhou L, Qiu W, Wang J, Zhao A, Zhou C, Sun T, Xiong Z, Cao P, Shen W, Chen J, Lai X,
Zhao LH, Wu Y, Li M, Qiu F, Yu Y, Xu ZZ, Zhou H, Jia W, Liao Y, Retnakaran R, Krewski D, Wen SW, Clemente JC, Chen T, Xie RH, He Y. Effects of vaginal microbiota transfer on the neurodevelopment and microbiome of cesarean-born infants: A blinded randomized controlled trial. Cell Host Microbe. 2023 Jul 12;31(7):1232-1247.e5. doi: 10.1016/j.chom.2023.05.022. Epub 2023 Jun 15. PMID: 37327780.
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