loading page

Fetal echogenic bowel may be related to intestinal microbiota: a prospective cohort study
  • +3
  • yanping Zhao,
  • Guorong Lv,
  • Liya Li,
  • Bolin Zheng,
  • Yating Zeng,
  • Ying Zhang
yanping Zhao
The Second Affiliated Hospital Of Fujian Medical University

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

Author Profile
Guorong Lv
Quanzhou Medical College
Author Profile
Liya Li
Department of Ultrasound, The Second Affiliated Hospital Of Fujian Medical University,Quan zhou, China
Author Profile
Bolin Zheng
The Second Affiliated Hospital Of Fujian Medical University,Quan zhou, China
Author Profile
Yating Zeng
The Second Affiliated Hospital Of Fujian Medical University,Quan zhou, China
Author Profile
Ying Zhang
The Second Affiliated Hospital Of Fujian Medical University,Quan zhou, China
Author Profile

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of the current study was to determine the difference in intestinal microbiota after delivery between healthy fetuses and fetuses with hyperechogenic bowel during the second trimester and the relationship between fetal echogenic bowel and microbiota. Design: Prospective cohort study. Setting: The Second Affiliated Hospital Of Fujian Medical University,Quan zhou, China. Population: 34 single pregnant women and their fetuses. Methods: Fourteen healthy fetuses (control group), 13 fetuses with echogenic bowel (EB group), and 7 fetuses with echogenic bowel and other abnormalities (C-EB group) were selected. The first meconium after delivery was collected for 16s rRNA sequencing. Results: A total of 69,222 operation classification units were obtained by clustering all high-quality sequences with 97% similarity. There was no significant difference in the Shannon, Simpson, and Chao 1 indices among the three groups. At the phylum level, the intestinal microflora of the three groups were similar.At the genus level, the abundance of Escherichia coli/Shigella in the EB、C-EBgroup was significantly lower than the control group, while the abundance of Staphylococcus, Methylobactrium, and Curvibacter in the EB group was significantly higher than the other groups. There was a difference in abundance of Gammaproteobacteria, Fusobacteria, Enterobacteriaceae, and E. coli in the EB and C-EB groups. Conclusion: The intestinal flora may be related to fetal echogenic bowel via mucus secretion and intestinal gas production.