Gut Microbiota across Normal Gestation and Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: A Cohort Analysis

Abstract

The prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a global public health concern. The mechanism that leads to glucose tolerance beyond normal physiological levels to pathogenic conditions remains incompletely understood, and it is speculated that the maternal microbiome may play an important role. This study analyzes the gut microbiota composition in each trimester of weight-matched women with and without GDM and examines possible bacterial genera associations with GDM. This study followed 56 pregnant women with GDM and 59 without admitted to the outpatient clinic during their first/second or third trimester of gestation. They were submitted to a standardized questionnaire, dietary recalls, clinical examination, biological sample collection, and molecular profiling of fecal microbiota. Women with GDM were older and had a higher number of pregnancies than normal-tolerant ones. There was no difference in alpha diversity, and the groups did not differ regarding the overall microbiota structure. A higher abundance of Bacteroides in the GDM group was found. A positive correlation between Christensenellaceae and Intestinobacter abundances with one-hour post-challenge plasma glucose and a negative correlation between Enterococcus and two-hour plasma glucose levels were observed. Bifidobacterium and Peptococcus abundances were increased in the third gestational trimester for both groups. The gut microbiota composition was not dependent on the presence of GDM weight-matched women throughout gestation. However, some genera abundances showed associations with glucose metabolism. Our findings may therefore encourage a deeper understanding of physiological and pathophysiological changes in the microbiota throughout pregnancy, which could have further implications for diseases prevention.

Keywords

• gestational diabetes mellitus
• gut microbiota
• obesity
• pregnancy