ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Microbiol.
Sec. Microorganisms in Vertebrate Digestive Systems
Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2025.1642516
This article is part of the Research TopicNew and advanced mechanistic insights into the influences of the infant gut microbiota on human health and disease, Volume IIView all articles
Related differences in fecal bacteria of Chinese northern pregnant women of different ages: Associations with maternal clinical indicators and neonatal outcomes
Provisionally accepted
- First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
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The gut microbiota, a vital "microbial organ," influences digestion, immunity, and metabolism. Aging alters gut microbiota of pregnant women through metabolic and hormonal pathways, thereby impacting neonatal health. In this study conducted in northern China, we compared two groups: advanced maternal age (AMA, ≥35 years) and younger maternal age (YMA, 20-34 years), analyzing fecal bacteria and maternal metabolism via biomarker measurements and microbial sequencing. Results showed AMA had significantly higher serum levels of alkaline phosphatase (AKP), 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D], and creatinine, while YMA exhibited higher Cu but lower Fe concentrations. Although the fecal bacteria of AMA participants showed greater diversity, the YMA group displayed a more stable bacterial composition, characterized by a higher abundance of beneficial bacteria (e.g., Bifidobacterium) and a lower prevalence of potential pathogens (e.g., Streptococcus).Metabolically, the fecal bacterial network in YMA participants was more integrated, whereas the AMA group showed a "high-complexity, low-efficiency" pattern with disrupted metabolic pathways, which may contribute to adverse pregnancy outcomes. This study highlights age-related dysbiosis of the fecal bacteria in pregnant women and its impact on maternal and neonatal health, advocating for personalized prenatal care strategies for women with AMA.
Keywords: Pregnant Women, age, Clinical indicators, Fecal bacteria, Microbiota dysbiosis
Received: 06 Jun 2025; Accepted: 04 Jul 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Hu, Liu, Sun, Su and Huang. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Mingli Huang, First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
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