In a previous study of 24 healthy women, vaginal
microbiome composition became less diverse between the second and third trimesters of pregnancy and just
before delivery was enriched with Lactobacillus species, likely contributing to vertical transmission of these bacteria during vaginal birth.21 In a study of 10 newborns in Venezuela, within hours of delivery, the intestinal tracts of infants born vaginally were colonized by Lactobacillus and Prevotella, whereas infants delivered operatively acquired bacteria present on the mother's
skin and the hospital environment, such as Staphylococcus, Proprionibacterium, and Corynebacterium.15 Quiz Ref ID Our findings, based on a large group of 6 - week - old infants, indicated that Lactobacillus also contributes to the microbial environment of the gut but to a lesser extent than Bifidobacteria, Bacteroides, and Streptococcus.
Even
before we knew about the
microbiome, we knew that these ingredients were disturbing the very thin
skin in the mouth, the epithelium, which is only one cell thick.