title: Review: Maternal health and the placental microbiome.
abstract: Over the past decade, the role of the microbiome in regulating metabolism, immune function and behavior in humans has become apparent. It has become clear that the placenta is not a sterile organ, but rather has its own endogenous microbiome. The composition of the placental microbiome is distinct from that of the vagina and has been reported to resemble the oral microbiome. Compared to the gut microbiome, the placental microbiome exhibits limited microbial diversity. This review will focus on the current understanding of the placental microbiota in normal healthy pregnancy and also in disease states including preterm birth, chorioamnionitis and maternal conditions such as obesity, gestational diabetes mellitus and preeclampsia. Factors known to alter the composition of the placental microbiota will be discussed in the final part of this review.
authors.affiliation: School of Biomedical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia. Electronic address: e.pelzer@qut.edu.au.
authors.forename: Elise
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pelzer
authors.affiliation: UQ Centre for Clinical Research, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia; School of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
authors.forename: Luisa F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Gomez-Arango
authors.affiliation: UQ Centre for Clinical Research, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia; School of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia; Obstetric Medicine, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Brisbane, Australia.
authors.forename: Helen L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Barrett
authors.affiliation: UQ Centre for Clinical Research, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia; School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
authors.forename: Marloes Dekker
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Nitert
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000068097:Maternal Health; D064307:Microbiota; D010920:Placenta / Q000382:microbiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000382:microbiology*
keywords: Microbiome; Placenta; Pregnancy; Preterm delivery; Probiotics