“Fecal Transplantation for Cesarean Section Babies: Study Finds 42% of Mothers Carry Harmful Pathogens”

A recent study presented at the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases revealed that over 40% of healthy mothers preparing for fecal transplant therapy for their babies born by cesarean section were found to carry potentially harmful pathogens. The study, conducted by Finnish researchers, aimed to test the efficacy of fecal transplantation in restoring normal gut bacteria in babies born via C-section who miss out on the transmission of beneficial gut bacteria from their birth parent. The study found that group B Streptococcus was the most identified pathogen. The researchers concluded that while fecal transplant therapy has shown promise in preventing recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection in adults, it should only be performed after careful screening for potential pathogens. Further research will investigate the use of fecal microbiota transplant to enrich the gut microbiota of C-section babies to match that of those born vaginally.