A Deep Look at the Vaginal Environment During Pregnancy and Puerperium
A deep comprehension of the vaginal ecosystem may hold promise for unraveling the pathophysiology of pregnancy and may provide novel biomarkers to identify subjects at risk of maternal-fetal complications. In this prospective study, we assessed the characteristics of the vaginal environment in a coh...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-05-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2022.838405/full |
| _version_ | 1818204288932904960 |
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| author | Marco Severgnini Sara Morselli Tania Camboni Camilla Ceccarani Luca Laghi Sara Zagonari Giulia Patuelli Maria Federica Pedna Vittorio Sambri Vittorio Sambri Claudio Foschi Clarissa Consolandi Antonella Marangoni |
| author_facet | Marco Severgnini Sara Morselli Tania Camboni Camilla Ceccarani Luca Laghi Sara Zagonari Giulia Patuelli Maria Federica Pedna Vittorio Sambri Vittorio Sambri Claudio Foschi Clarissa Consolandi Antonella Marangoni |
| author_sort | Marco Severgnini |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | A deep comprehension of the vaginal ecosystem may hold promise for unraveling the pathophysiology of pregnancy and may provide novel biomarkers to identify subjects at risk of maternal-fetal complications. In this prospective study, we assessed the characteristics of the vaginal environment in a cohort of pregnant women throughout their different gestational ages and puerperium. Both the vaginal bacterial composition and the vaginal metabolic profiles were analyzed. A total of 63 Caucasian women with a successful pregnancy and 9 subjects who had a first trimester miscarriage were enrolled. For the study, obstetric examinations were scheduled along the three trimester phases (9-13, 20-24, 32-34 gestation weeks) and puerperium (40-55 days after delivery). Two vaginal swabs were collected at each time point, to assess the vaginal microbiome profiling (by Nugent score and 16S rRNA gene sequencing) and the vaginal metabolic composition (1H-NMR spectroscopy). During pregnancy, the vaginal microbiome underwent marked changes, with a significant decrease in overall diversity, and increased stability. Over time, we found a significant increase of Lactobacillus and a decrease of several genera related to bacterial vaginosis (BV), such as Prevotella, Atopobium and Sneathia. It is worth noting that the levels of Bifidobacterium spp. tended to decrease at the end of pregnancy. At the puerperium, a significantly lower content of Lactobacillus and higher levels of Gardnerella, Prevotella, Atopobium, and Streptococcus were observed. Women receiving an intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis for Group B Streptococcus (GBS) were characterized by a vaginal abundance of Prevotella compared to untreated women. Analysis of bacterial relative abundances highlighted an increased abundance of Fusobacterium in women suffering a first trimester abortion, at all taxonomic levels. Lactobacillus abundance was strongly correlated with higher levels of lactate, sarcosine, and many amino acids (i.e., isoleucine, leucine, phenylalanine, valine, threonine, tryptophan). Conversely, BV-associated genera, such as Gardnerella, Atopobium, and Sneathia, were related to amines (e.g., putrescine, methylamine), formate, acetate, alcohols, and short-chain fatty-acids (i.e., butyrate, propionate). |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-12T03:38:52Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-02aef64b3c3d42e5b134968196922e10 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2235-2988 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-12T03:38:52Z |
| publishDate | 2022-05-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology |
| spelling | doaj.art-02aef64b3c3d42e5b134968196922e102022-12-22T00:39:43ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology2235-29882022-05-011210.3389/fcimb.2022.838405838405A Deep Look at the Vaginal Environment During Pregnancy and PuerperiumMarco Severgnini0Sara Morselli1Tania Camboni2Camilla Ceccarani3Luca Laghi4Sara Zagonari5Giulia Patuelli6Maria Federica Pedna7Vittorio Sambri8Vittorio Sambri9Claudio Foschi10Clarissa Consolandi11Antonella Marangoni12Institute of Biomedical Technologies – National Research Council, Milan, ItalyMicrobiology, Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), University of Bologna, Bologna, ItalyInstitute of Biomedical Technologies – National Research Council, Milan, ItalyInstitute of Biomedical Technologies – National Research Council, Milan, ItalyDepartment of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, Cesena, ItalyFamily Advisory Health Centres, Ravenna, ItalyFamily Advisory Health Centres, Ravenna, ItalyUnit of Microbiology, Greater Romagna Hub Laboratory, Cesena, ItalyMicrobiology, Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), University of Bologna, Bologna, ItalyUnit of Microbiology, Greater Romagna Hub Laboratory, Cesena, ItalyMicrobiology, Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), University of Bologna, Bologna, ItalyInstitute of Biomedical Technologies – National Research Council, Milan, ItalyMicrobiology, Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), University of Bologna, Bologna, ItalyA deep comprehension of the vaginal ecosystem may hold promise for unraveling the pathophysiology of pregnancy and may provide novel biomarkers to identify subjects at risk of maternal-fetal complications. In this prospective study, we assessed the characteristics of the vaginal environment in a cohort of pregnant women throughout their different gestational ages and puerperium. Both the vaginal bacterial composition and the vaginal metabolic profiles were analyzed. A total of 63 Caucasian women with a successful pregnancy and 9 subjects who had a first trimester miscarriage were enrolled. For the study, obstetric examinations were scheduled along the three trimester phases (9-13, 20-24, 32-34 gestation weeks) and puerperium (40-55 days after delivery). Two vaginal swabs were collected at each time point, to assess the vaginal microbiome profiling (by Nugent score and 16S rRNA gene sequencing) and the vaginal metabolic composition (1H-NMR spectroscopy). During pregnancy, the vaginal microbiome underwent marked changes, with a significant decrease in overall diversity, and increased stability. Over time, we found a significant increase of Lactobacillus and a decrease of several genera related to bacterial vaginosis (BV), such as Prevotella, Atopobium and Sneathia. It is worth noting that the levels of Bifidobacterium spp. tended to decrease at the end of pregnancy. At the puerperium, a significantly lower content of Lactobacillus and higher levels of Gardnerella, Prevotella, Atopobium, and Streptococcus were observed. Women receiving an intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis for Group B Streptococcus (GBS) were characterized by a vaginal abundance of Prevotella compared to untreated women. Analysis of bacterial relative abundances highlighted an increased abundance of Fusobacterium in women suffering a first trimester abortion, at all taxonomic levels. Lactobacillus abundance was strongly correlated with higher levels of lactate, sarcosine, and many amino acids (i.e., isoleucine, leucine, phenylalanine, valine, threonine, tryptophan). Conversely, BV-associated genera, such as Gardnerella, Atopobium, and Sneathia, were related to amines (e.g., putrescine, methylamine), formate, acetate, alcohols, and short-chain fatty-acids (i.e., butyrate, propionate).https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2022.838405/fullvaginal microbiomevaginal metabolomepregnancypuerperiummiscarriagewomen’s health |
| spellingShingle | Marco Severgnini Sara Morselli Tania Camboni Camilla Ceccarani Luca Laghi Sara Zagonari Giulia Patuelli Maria Federica Pedna Vittorio Sambri Vittorio Sambri Claudio Foschi Clarissa Consolandi Antonella Marangoni A Deep Look at the Vaginal Environment During Pregnancy and Puerperium Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology vaginal microbiome vaginal metabolome pregnancy puerperium miscarriage women’s health |
| title | A Deep Look at the Vaginal Environment During Pregnancy and Puerperium |
| title_full | A Deep Look at the Vaginal Environment During Pregnancy and Puerperium |
| title_fullStr | A Deep Look at the Vaginal Environment During Pregnancy and Puerperium |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Deep Look at the Vaginal Environment During Pregnancy and Puerperium |
| title_short | A Deep Look at the Vaginal Environment During Pregnancy and Puerperium |
| title_sort | deep look at the vaginal environment during pregnancy and puerperium |
| topic | vaginal microbiome vaginal metabolome pregnancy puerperium miscarriage women’s health |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2022.838405/full |
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