Temporal and spatial variation of the human microbiota during pregnancy

Despite the critical role of the human microbiota in health, our understanding of microbiota compositional dynamics during and after pregnancy is incomplete. We conducted a case-control study of 49 pregnant women, 15 of whom delivered preterm. From 40 of these women, we analyzed bacterial taxonomic composition of 3,767 specimens collected prospectively and weekly during gestation and monthly after delivery from the vagina, distal gut, saliva, and tooth/gum. Linear mixed-effects modeling, medoid-based clustering, and Markov chain modeling were used to analyze community temporal trends, community structure, and vaginal community state transitions. Microbiota community taxonomic composition and diversity remained…

• NS
  National Science Foundation
• MO
  March of Dimes Foundation
• NI
  National Institutes of Health

  Awards: TR001085, UL1 TR001085
• NI
  National Institute of General Medical Sciences

  Award: R01 GM086884
• DO
  Division of Mathematical Sciences

  Award: 1162538
• NC
  National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences

  Award: UL1 TR001085