Mom gives you bacteria

“What do you get when you kiss a guy? You get enough germs to catch pneumonia.” With a recent study I read, that Bacharach song could now be reshaped by science this way: “What do you get when you are born? Their genes and germs to get you going.” Yes, mom has delivered you into this world with such high hopes and dreams and lately, science has found out that she has also given you your first “bacteria backpack” that could determine the way your digestion and immune system will be treating you for the rest of your life.

Gross as that may sound, it may just be one of the best initial gifts moms could ever give their babies. She does not only give you genes, she also gives you bacteria! The researchers, namely Maria G. Dominguez-Bello (http://www.pnas.org/search?author1=Maria+G.+Dominguez-Bello&sortspec=date&submit=Submit), Elizabeth K. Costello (http://www.pnas.org search?author1=Eliza­beth+K.+Costello&sortspec=date&submit=Submit), Monica Contreras (http://www.pnas.org/search?author1=Mo­nica+Contreras&sortspec=date&submit=Submit), Magda Magris (http://www.pnas.org/search?author1=Mag­da+Magris&sortspec=date&submit=Submit), Glida Hidalgo (http://www.pnas.org/search?author1=Glida+Hidal­go&sortspec=date&submit=Submit), Noah Fierer (http://www.pnas.org/search?author1=Noah+Fierer&sort­spec=date&submit=Submit) and Rob Knight (http://www.pnas.org/search?author1=Rob+Knight&sort­spec=date&submit=Submit), published their study entitled “Delivery mode shapes the acquisition and structure of the initial microbiota across multiple body habitats in newborns” last June 21 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in the US. In their study, they compared the bacterial colonies of newborns who were delivered vaginally and the ones who were delivered by Caesarian Section (C-section).

They discovered that those newborns who were delivered the “natural” way (which makes husbands who choose to watch never ever forget it), got the colonies of bacteria that were in the mother’s vagina. However, those delivered by C-section got the kinds of bacteria associated with skin bacteria that did not resemble their respective mothers’ bacteria. The kind of bacteria found in newborns who were delivered au naturelle were those associated with milk digestion, gum disease or vaginal infections. On the other hand, those who were surgically removed had skin bacteria that were not found in the mother. They also found bacteria in the C-section babies associated with food poisoning, diphtheria, and acne. The authors think that having bacteria from mom who delivered her baby the natural way may preempt other kinds of bacteria from pitching communities in her baby.

So to mommies out there, you now have an added title to your list as a giver of life. You are also now, a giver of bacteria. As to what kind of bacteria they are, it seems that was determined by how you brought your child into this world. Thanks to our moms, we have life and we have germs. I do not think that is one theme that will ever appear in a Mother’s Day greeting card.

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