Postnatal colonization of neonatal intestine after vaginal seeding

Purpose The main objective of this study was to investigate if the method of “vaginal seeding”, consist a safe application for neonates.

Materials and methods In Democritus University of Thrace from 2018 to 2019 vaginal swab specimens were collected from 100 pregnant women in the 20th week of gestation and tested for vaginitis. Sterile gauze has been put in the vagina a few minutes before in women that underwent caesarean section after 37 weeks of gestation and then the gauze applied to the baby´s face, mouth and skin. If streptococcal culture was negative, then it should be compared to neonatal faecal culture after 3-5 days for microbes.

Results According to our results 45 pregnant women diagnosed with vaginitis. Off 45,10 of them experienced preterm birth.50 of 90 had normal labor and the rest 40 underwent scheduled cesarean section and the practice of vaginal seeding were applied. As observed from the results of our cultures gut of neonates born with normal labor their gut were colonized from lactobacillus species and bacteroides in contrast to the babies that had the vaginal seeding 15 of them out of 40 had a gut with increased colonization of species of lactobacillus and bacteroides.

Conclusion The fact that the theory of vaginal seeding aim to alter the microbiome of the neonates born with cesarean section is very promising but there is a need for further investigation due to neonatal risk and also to prove its effectiveness.

Publication History

Article published online:
07 October 2020