Background: Offspring of mothers with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) have increased risk of developing metabolic disorders as they grow up. Microbial colonization of the newborn gut and environmental exposures affecting the configuration of the gut microbiota during infancy have been linked to increased risk of developing disease during childhood and adulthood. In a convenience sample, we examined whether the intestinal tract of children born to mothers with GDM is differentially colonized in early life compared to offspring of mothers with normal gestational glucose regulation. Secondly, we examined whether any such difference persists during infancy, thus potentially conferring increased risk of developing metabolic disease later in life.

Methods: Fecal samples were collected from children of mothers with (n = 43) and without GDM (n = 82) during the first week of life and again at an average age of 9 months. The gut microbiota was characterized by 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing (V1–V2). Differences in diversity and composition according to maternal GDM status were assessed, addressing potential confounding by mode of delivery, perinatal antibiotics treatment, feeding and infant sex.

Results: Children of mothers with GDM were featured by a differential composition of the gut microbiota, both during the first week of life and at 9 months, at higher taxonomic and OTU levels. Sixteen and 15 OTUs were differentially abundant after correction for multiple testing during the first week of life and at 9 months, respectively. Two OTUs remained differentially abundant after adjustment for potential confounders both during the first week of life and at 9 months. Richness (OTU) was decreased in neonates born to mothers with GDM; however, at 9 months no difference in richness was observed. There was no difference in Shannon's diversity or Pielou's evenness at any timepoint. Longitudinally, we detected differential changes in the gut microbiota composition from birth to infancy according to GDM status.

Conclusion: Differences in glycaemic regulation in late pregnancy is linked with relatively modest variation in the gut microbiota composition of the offspring during the first week of life and 9 months after birth.

背景：患有妊娠糖尿病（GDM）的母亲的后代长大后会出现代谢紊乱的风险增加。婴儿期新生儿肠道微生物的定植和环境暴露会影响肠道菌群的形态，这与儿童和成年期患疾病的风险增加有关。在一个方便的样本中，我们检查了与妊娠葡萄糖调节正常的母亲的后代相比，患有GDM的母亲所生的孩子的肠道在早期生活中是否存在差异化的定居。其次，我们检查了婴儿期是否仍存在任何这种差异，从而潜在地增加了以后生活中发生代谢性疾病的风险。

方法： 粪便样本是从有（ñ = 43）且没有GDM（ñ= 82），在出生后的第一周，平均年龄为9个月。肠道菌群通过16S rRNA基因扩增子测序（V1-V2）进行表征。根据产妇GDM状况评估了多样性和成分的差异，从而解决了分娩方式，围产期抗生素治疗，喂养和婴儿性别的潜在混淆。

结果：患有GDM的母亲的孩子在出生的第一周和9个月时，在较高的分类学和OTU水平下，肠道菌群的组成有所不同。校正后的16个和15个OTU在生命的第一周和9个月时分别进行了多次测试。在生命的第一个星期和第9个月，对潜在混杂因素进行调整后，两个OTU仍然保持差异丰富。患有GDM的母亲所生的新生儿的丰富度（OTU）下降；但是，在9个月时，未观察到丰富度差异。在任何时候，Shannon的多样性或Pielou的均匀性都没有差异。纵向上，我们根据GDM状态检测了从出生到婴儿的肠道菌群组成的差异变化。

结论： 妊娠晚期血糖调节的差异与出生后第一周和出生后9个月后代肠道菌群组成的相对适度变化有关。