New research links maternal exposures during pregnancy to the composition of an infant’s microbiota and a range of early‑life health outcomes, offering a potential route for preventive interventions.
Study design and key findings
The study examined 1,689 mother‑infant pairs from Jiangsu province, China, making it one of the largest prospective cohorts to assess prenatal exposome phenotyping. They measured 776 external and internal variables—ranging from chemicals in the environment to metabolites in maternal blood—across each trimester and at delivery.
Meconium samples, collected from 70.7 % of the newborns, were analyzed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing to characterize the neonatal gut microbiome. The analysis identified core bacterial phyla such as Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, and Bacteroidetes, whose relative abundances varied with maternal exposure levels.
Maternal anthropometric data—pre‑pregnancy height, weight, and body‑mass index—emerged as strong predictors of infant size measures, including weight, length, and head circumference. Meanwhile, urinary biomarkers and specific chemical exposures showed correlations with the newborn’s microbiota profile.
Specific chemicals and metabolic markers
Among the chemicals examined, triphenyl phosphate (TPHP), a common organophosphate ester, and perfluorobutane sulfonic acid were notably linked to changes in microbial composition. Higher maternal levels of cholesterol and these pollutants were associated with shifts in Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, and Bacteroidetes.
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Actinobacteria, Firmicutes, and Bacteroidetes were most frequently tied to disease‑related outcomes, whereas Verrucomicrobia, Proteobacteria, and Actinobacteria showed connections to growth metrics. The authors highlighted that first‑trimester exposure to TPHP was positively associated with infant weight, suggesting a possible mechanism involving suppression of weight‑associated Proteobacteria.
“We demonstrate that maternal exposures may collectively shape neonatal microbiota, which is associated with key infant growth and neuroimmune outcomes,” the authors wrote.
These findings support the concept of a prenatal exposure‑microbiota‑infant health axis, where routine prenatal metrics could serve as predictive markers for later health trajectories.
While the research does not establish causality, it adds weight to the growing body of evidence that the intrauterine environment plays an important role in shaping postnatal health. Ongoing investigations will need to confirm whether interventions targeting maternal exposure can reliably influence microbiome development and downstream outcomes.
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