• NEWS

Mum’s microbes might boost brain development of c-section babies

Vaginal seeding is safe and seems to benefit infants delivered by the surgery — but larger trials are needed.
By
  1. Ewen Callaway
Access through your institution
Buy or subscribe

Swabbing caesarean-section babies with their mum’s vaginal fluids to encourage the development of a microbiome seems to be safe — and might improve brain development, finds the biggest-yet study of the controversial practice1.

Access options

Access through your institution

Rent or buy this article

Prices vary by article type

from$1.95

to$39.95

Learn more

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Nature 618, 659-660 (2023)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-023-01972-4

References

  1. Zhou, L. et al. Cell Host Microbe https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chom.2023.05.022 (2023).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Shao, Y. et al. Nature 574, 117–121 (2019).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Dominguez-Bello, M. G. et al. Nature Med. 22, 250–253 (2016).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Committee on Obstetric Practice. Obstet. Gynecol. 130, e274–e278 (2017).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Korpela, K. et al. Cell 183, 324–334 (2020).

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Subjects

Latest on:

Nature Careers

Jobs

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing