Pregnancy & early life

News Watch

Aging is a physiological process that results in changes observable to the naked eye (appearance of a few more wrinkles, hair whitening, change in stature or posture…) but also other changes less observable (increased frailty). Aging-related changes also occur within our digestive tract, but they are not always easy for the human eye to detect. Diet and host genetics are…

GMFH Editing Team
GMFH Editing Team

Aging is a physiological process that results in changes observable to the naked eye (appearance of a few more wrinkles, hair whitening, change in stature or posture…) but also other changes less observable (increased frailty). Aging-related changes also occur within our digestive tract, but they are not always easy for the human eye to detect. Diet and host genetics are…

GMFH Editing Team
GMFH Editing Team

While the composition of your microbiota remains fairly stable in adulthood, it is subject to variations in the first years of life and among seniors, some of which are more significant than others! Factors such as delivery mode, diet and antibiotic treatments all have an impact on the development of our gut microbiota, along with its diversity and richness. This…

GMFH Editing Team
GMFH Editing Team

While the composition of your microbiota remains fairly stable in adulthood, it is subject to variations in the first years of life and among seniors, some of which are more significant than others! Factors such as delivery mode, diet and antibiotic treatments all have an impact on the development of our gut microbiota, along with its diversity and richness. This…

GMFH Editing Team
GMFH Editing Team

It has long been suspected that the way we are born plays a key role in determining which microorganisms would colonize our guts. Now, these suspicions have been confirmed by the largest ever study of newborns’ gut microbiota and the impact of delivery methods. According to the new research, babies born by Caesarean section have different gut bacteria to those…

Cristina Sáez
Cristina Saez is a freelance science journalist. She works for several media, for instance the Spanish newspaper La Vanguardia, where she coordinates the science section, Big Vang; as well as research centres and scientific societies. She has been awarded for her journalistic work, among others, with the Boehringer Ingelheim Award in Medical Journalism 2015. Follow Cristina on Twitter @saez_cristina

It has long been suspected that the way we are born plays a key role in determining which microorganisms would colonize our guts. Now, these suspicions have been confirmed by the largest ever study of newborns’ gut microbiota and the impact of delivery methods. According to the new research, babies born by Caesarean section have different gut bacteria to those…

Cristina Sáez
Cristina Saez is a freelance science journalist. She works for several media, for instance the Spanish newspaper La Vanguardia, where she coordinates the science section, Big Vang; as well as research centres and scientific societies. She has been awarded for her journalistic work, among others, with the Boehringer Ingelheim Award in Medical Journalism 2015. Follow Cristina on Twitter @saez_cristina

Human milk is the gold standard for infant nutrition, as it contains bioactive compounds that help support the development of the infant gut microbiota and immune system. However, for a variety of reasons, not all infants can be exclusively breastfed. “The Biotics Family in Early Life,” is an essential knowledge briefing from Wiley. The book discusses how the use of dietary…

Megan Mouw
Megan Mouw holds a Bachelor of Science in microbiology from McGill University (Canada). Driven by her experiences at UCSF medical center in San Francisco, Megan is passionate about the role that the gut microbiota plays in maintaining health and wellness. She is currently perusing graduate studies in Microbiology and Environmental Toxicology at the University of California Santa Cruz and hopes to share her love of science through writing.

Human milk is the gold standard for infant nutrition, as it contains bioactive compounds that help support the development of the infant gut microbiota and immune system. However, for a variety of reasons, not all infants can be exclusively breastfed. “The Biotics Family in Early Life,” is an essential knowledge briefing from Wiley. The book discusses how the use of dietary…

Megan Mouw
Megan Mouw holds a Bachelor of Science in microbiology from McGill University (Canada). Driven by her experiences at UCSF medical center in San Francisco, Megan is passionate about the role that the gut microbiota plays in maintaining health and wellness. She is currently perusing graduate studies in Microbiology and Environmental Toxicology at the University of California Santa Cruz and hopes to share her love of science through writing.

The UN recently warned that antibiotic resistance will be the leading cause of death in the world by 2050. As the number of bacteria resistant to antibiotics continues to grow, infections will no longer be effectively treated. Some estimates suggest that 200,000 newborns die worldwide every year of infections caused by antibiotic resistant bacteria. In fact, the number of bacteria…

Cristina Sáez
Cristina Saez is a freelance science journalist. She works for several media, for instance the Spanish newspaper La Vanguardia, where she coordinates the science section, Big Vang; as well as research centres and scientific societies. She has been awarded for her journalistic work, among others, with the Boehringer Ingelheim Award in Medical Journalism 2015. Follow Cristina on Twitter @saez_cristina

The UN recently warned that antibiotic resistance will be the leading cause of death in the world by 2050. As the number of bacteria resistant to antibiotics continues to grow, infections will no longer be effectively treated. Some estimates suggest that 200,000 newborns die worldwide every year of infections caused by antibiotic resistant bacteria. In fact, the number of bacteria…

Cristina Sáez
Cristina Saez is a freelance science journalist. She works for several media, for instance the Spanish newspaper La Vanguardia, where she coordinates the science section, Big Vang; as well as research centres and scientific societies. She has been awarded for her journalistic work, among others, with the Boehringer Ingelheim Award in Medical Journalism 2015. Follow Cristina on Twitter @saez_cristina

Research & Practice

The gut microbiome has captured the attention of both researchers and society, and important progress was made in 2019 in our understanding of its emerging role in health and disease. Although gut microbiome science is moving progressively from the bench to the bedside, much research in the field has looked at cataloguing the composition and function of gut microbial communities,…

GMFH Editing Team
GMFH Editing Team

The gut microbiome has captured the attention of both researchers and society, and important progress was made in 2019 in our understanding of its emerging role in health and disease. Although gut microbiome science is moving progressively from the bench to the bedside, much research in the field has looked at cataloguing the composition and function of gut microbial communities,…

GMFH Editing Team
GMFH Editing Team

A major focus of gut microbiome research in early life is how delivery mode affects the newborn gut microbiota and its impact on the health of the growing child. Although previous studies revealed that infants born by Caesarean section (C-section) develop a gut microbiota composition that more closely resembles adult skin and the hospital environment, and which may predispose newborns…

GMFH Editing Team
GMFH Editing Team

A major focus of gut microbiome research in early life is how delivery mode affects the newborn gut microbiota and its impact on the health of the growing child. Although previous studies revealed that infants born by Caesarean section (C-section) develop a gut microbiota composition that more closely resembles adult skin and the hospital environment, and which may predispose newborns…

GMFH Editing Team
GMFH Editing Team

Human milk contains nutrients, bioactive compounds and commensal bacteria that may improve maternal and infant health outcomes. Milk’s microbial composition varies greatly between women but the factors that might explain this variation remain unknown. A new longitudinal cohort investigation, led by Dr. Carolina de Weerth from Radboud University Medical Center in the Netherlands, has found for the first time associations…

GMFH Editing Team
GMFH Editing Team

Human milk contains nutrients, bioactive compounds and commensal bacteria that may improve maternal and infant health outcomes. Milk’s microbial composition varies greatly between women but the factors that might explain this variation remain unknown. A new longitudinal cohort investigation, led by Dr. Carolina de Weerth from Radboud University Medical Center in the Netherlands, has found for the first time associations…

GMFH Editing Team
GMFH Editing Team

Breast milk has been reported as a multifunctional fluid, which includes human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) that may influence the development of the gut microbiota and the training of a newborn baby's immune system. A recent pilot study led by Dr. Mireille van Poppel and colleagues from the University of Graz and BioTechMed-Graz in Austria has revealed that during pregnancy, HMOs…

GMFH Editing Team
GMFH Editing Team

Breast milk has been reported as a multifunctional fluid, which includes human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) that may influence the development of the gut microbiota and the training of a newborn baby's immune system. A recent pilot study led by Dr. Mireille van Poppel and colleagues from the University of Graz and BioTechMed-Graz in Austria has revealed that during pregnancy, HMOs…

GMFH Editing Team
GMFH Editing Team

Preterm infants exhibit higher rates of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), which is a major cause of both mortality and neurodevelopmental morbidity. Although an altered gut microbiota composition and metabolome has been found in preterm infants, the few studies exploring the microbiome in NEC and preterm infants have reported inconsistent results. Within the mechanisms by which the development of NEC occurs, a…

Andreu Prados
Andreu Prados holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Pharmacy & Human Nutrition and Dietetics. Science writer specialised in gut microbiota and probiotics, working also as lecturer and consultant in nutrition and healthcare. Follow Andreu on Twitter @andreuprados

Preterm infants exhibit higher rates of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), which is a major cause of both mortality and neurodevelopmental morbidity. Although an altered gut microbiota composition and metabolome has been found in preterm infants, the few studies exploring the microbiome in NEC and preterm infants have reported inconsistent results. Within the mechanisms by which the development of NEC occurs, a…

Andreu Prados
Andreu Prados holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Pharmacy & Human Nutrition and Dietetics. Science writer specialised in gut microbiota and probiotics, working also as lecturer and consultant in nutrition and healthcare. Follow Andreu on Twitter @andreuprados