The placental microbiom

Picture taken from:

 www.sciencetranslationalmedicine.org/cgi/content/full/6/237/237ra65/DC1 

Here is a short update on our project. We are about to start!

Last week our team met with the Microbiologists from Jena University Clinic to discuss details about the study. Our main interest is to find out, if ingesting placenta can be potentially harmful due to its microbiological contamination.

The human body harbors multiple microorganisms and the research in this fascinating field is ongoing. It is already known that the vaginal community of microorganisms shifts naturally in its structure during pregnancy towards reduced diversity and richness. Species of Lactobacilli are relatively enriched in pregnancy. This could reduce the risk of ascending infections.

 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC337461... 

Until recently it was thought by scientists and physicians that the placenta is sterile, which means free from microbes. No one could imagine that a broad spectrum of microorganism could be detected in this organ. A rich and diverse placental microbiom is found in placentas from clinically healthy pregnant women.

Aagard et. al observed similarities between the bacteria of the oral flora and the placenta. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24848255 

These findings lead to the hypothesis that the placental microbiom is established by hematogenous spread of oral microbiota. To prevent periodontal disease in pregnancy could be a chance to avoid preterm birth.