Do types of delivery have an impact on a child’s response to vaccination?

"The gut microbiota is seeded at birth and develops rapidly during the first months of life under the influence of the type of childbirth, breastfeeding, administration of antibiotics and nutrition," notes a new study published in Nature Communications. Researchers assessed the link between the type of delivery, the development of the intestinal microbiota and the antibody responses following vaccination against pneumococcal infections and meningococcal type C. Read: Old wives tales To do this, they followed a total of 120 healthy full-term infants. They measured the development of the intestinal microbiota during the first year of life by stool analyses, as well as the antibody response to vaccines by saliva tests. A different microbiota The researchers were able to confirm that the intestinal microbiota of children born by caesarean section was very different from those born vaginally, since the latter are exposed to the mother's vaginal flora during birth. Those born vaginally had higher concentrations of Bifidobacterium bacteria and a non-pathogenic strain of Escherichia coli, and lower levels of Enterococcus faecium and Klebsiella, up to two months after birth. More antibodies? The researchers determined that children born vaginally had a better immune response to vaccination than those born by caesarean section. For the pneumococcal vaccine, the researchers analyzed the antibodies of 101 12-month-old babies and found that they were twice as high in children born vaginally than in those born by cesarean section. Read: Even low caffeine consumption by pregnant women is associated with shorter children For the meningococcal type C vaccine, researchers analyzed saliva samples from 66 18-month-olds and found that antibodies were 1.7 times higher in babies born vaginally than by caesarean section. “Incorporating antibody responses to vaccination as an endpoint in future microbiota modulation assays in early life may provide opportunities to assess beneficial outcomes on microbe-mediated immune system formation,” the study authors wrote. They noted that further studies should be done to find ways to improve the microbiota of babies born by caesarean section, because of the potential benefits on vaccine efficacy. Researchers also suggest that future vaccination schedules could be adapted according to the type of delivery and the microbiota of the babies. This article has been translated from its original French and originally appeared on our sister site Profession Santé. Read: What's behind worrying RSV surge in US children's hospitals?

Do types of delivery have an impact on a child’s response to vaccination?

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