The association between diet and vaginal microbiota throughout pregnancy.

• Grant number: 22/11670-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: November 01, 2022
• End date: August 31, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Nutrition - Nutritional Analysis of Population
• Principal Investigator: Natália Pinheiro de Castro
• Grantee: Nicole Silva Riqueto
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Saúde Pública (FSP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 15/03333-6 - The relationship between maternal adiposity and adiposity of the offspring in the fetal, neonatal and infant periods: a prospective population-based study, AP.TEM

Abstract

Despite the assumption that the human fetus is sterile along its in-utero development, there is now evidence associating bacteria from the maternal gastrointestinal tract and urogenital region with fetal tissues. Therefore, maternal genital microbiota may be important for fetal development, a hypothesis strengthened by the link between vaginal microbiome and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Microbiota of the urogenital tract is determined by gut microbiota and local characteristics, such as pH, temperature, hormonal production, and other secretions. Therefore, given the determinant role of the diet to the microbiota of the gastrointestinal system, it is hypothesized that diet can also influence the community of bacteria that colonizes the vaginal tract. Few studies have explored the relationship between diet and vaginal microbiota, despite the promising results of a positive association between these two factors. The objective of this proposal is to evaluate the relationship between diet and vaginal microbiota throughout pregnancy in a prospective cohort study. As part of two ongoing projects funded by FAPESP, 50 adult pregnant women with a gestational age under 18 weeks will be recruited from 34 basic health units in Araraquara, SP. Food intake will be estimated by three 24-hour questionnaires for each pregnancy trimester, as previously described. Vaginal samples from participants at the three pregnancy trimesters (before 18, 20-26, 30-36 weeks) will be considered to determine composition of the vaginal microbial community and its variation throughout pregnancy. "Next-Generation" sequencing of 16S ribosomal RNA will be performed and bioinformatics analysis will be used to test for associations between vaginal microbiota and energy/macro-micronutrient intake throughout pregnancy.