Perinatal Antibiotic Exposure Affects the Transmission between Maternal and Neonatal Microbiota and Is Associated with Early-Onset Sepsis

Perinatal antibiotic prophylaxis is an effective method for preventing group B Streptococcus (GBS) infection in newborns. Antibiotic exposure unbalances women’s vaginal microbiota, which is associated with the establishment of the newborn gut microbiota. However, the influence of perinatal antibiotic exposure on neonatal gut microbiota colonization and health outcomes remains unclear. In this study, we found that perinatal antibiotic exposure induced microbiota dysbiosis in a woman’s vagina and the neonatal gut, and we highlight a significant decrease in the abundance of Lactobacillus spp. The influence of antibiotic use on the microbiota was greater than that from gestational age. Additionally, full-term newborns without antibiotic exposure had no evidence of early-onset sepsis, whereas in full-term or preterm newborns with antibiotic exposure before birth, at least one infant was diagnosed with early-onset sepsis. These results suggest an association between perinatal antibiotic exposure and microbial dysbiosis in maternal vaginal and neonatal gut environments, which may be related to the occurrence of early-onset sepsis.