The meconium microbiome may provide insight into intrauterine and peripartum exposures and the very earliest intestinal pioneering microbes. Prenatal antibiotics have been associated with later obesity in children, which is thought to be driven by microbiome dependent mechanisms. However, there is little data regarding associations of prenatal or peripartum antibiotic exposure, with or without cesarean section (CS), with the features of the meconium microbiome. In this study, 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing was performed on bacterial DNA of meconium samples from 105 infants in a birth cohort study. After multivariable adjustment, delivery mode (p = 0.044), prenatal antibiotic use (p = 0.005) and peripartum antibiotic use (p < 0.001) were associated with beta diversity of the infant meconium microbiome. CS (vs. vaginal delivery) and peripartum antibiotics were also associated with greater alpha diversity of the meconium microbiome (Shannon and Simpson, p < 0.05). Meconium from infants born by CS (vs. vaginal delivery) had lower relative abundance of the genus Escherichia (p < 0.001). Prenatal antibiotic use and peripartum antibiotic use (both in the overall analytic sample and when restricting to vaginally delivered infants) were associated with differential abundance of several bacterial taxa in the meconium. Bacterial taxa in the meconium microbiome were also differentially associated with infant excess weight at 12 months of age, however, sample size was limited for this comparison. In conclusion, prenatal and peripartum antibiotic use along with CS delivery were associated with differences in the diversity and composition of the meconium microbiome. Whether or not these differences in the meconium microbiome portend risk for long-term health outcomes warrants further exploration.

If the prevalence of 25.7% is representative of the DR as a whole, the DR would have one of the highest national rates in Latin America. The study assessment tool was convenient to use, but tool validation is needed.

OBJECTIVE: Determine the placenta microbiome composition in Type 2 diabetes STUDY DESIGN: A prospective cohort study with two groups: Type 2 Diabetes and Control. Eligible patients were enrolled upon admission. Patients ages 18-40 who delivered between 37-41.6 weeks. Maternal data included Hgb A1c, BMI, weight gain, labor abnormalities, and delivery mode. Fetal/neonatal data included congenital defects, growth abnormalities, gestational age, gender, birth weight, apgars, and NICU admission. With sterile technique, the placenta was collected at delivery. Sterile surgical tools were used to collect four cuboidal sections 3-4 cm from cord insertion. Tissue was immediately frozen in liquid nitrogen. Samples were transferred to a -80C freezer on dry ice. RNA extraction was done with E.Z.N.A RNA Extraction kit. NanoDrop was used to ensure appropriate yield. All samples were sent for 16s rRNA sequencing. RESULTS: Composite features include 34 total patients delivering between 37 to 41.6 weeks. Average hemoglobin A1c was 5.69%, ranging from 4.9-8.1%. Average BMI at admission was 36.5, ranging from 26-59. Average weight gain in pregnancy was 23.7 lbs, ranging from 1-67 lbs. 61% of patients delivered vaginally and 39% via cesarean. 70.6% of fetuses were female and 29.4% were male. Average birth weight was 3248g, ranging from 2010g -4430g. In intergroup analysis, diabetic group had higher Hgb A1c (p-value 0.0025), larger BMI (p-value 0.0168), earlier gestational age (p-value 0.0012), and higher rate of cesarean (p-value 0.0111). No statistically significant difference in APGARs or birth weight. All placentas demonstrated high concentration yields of DNA. Further analysis of the placenta samples for microbial DNA resulted in no yield. The placentas

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