Fetal echogenic bowel may be related to intestinal microbiota: A prospective cohort study

• Published in: Journal of clinical ultrasound 2024-11, Vol.52 (9), p.1338-1345
• Main Authors: Zhao, Yanping, Lyu, Guorong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Abnormalities; Abundance; Adult; Cohort Studies; E coli; echogenic bowel; Echogenic Bowel - diagnostic imaging; Echogenic Bowel - microbiology; Escherichia coli; Female; fetus; Fetuses; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Humans; intestinal microbiota; Intestinal microflora; Intestine; Meconium; Meconium - diagnostic imaging; Meconium - microbiology; Microbiota; Microorganisms; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Trimester, Second; Prospective Studies; rRNA 16S; Ultrasonography, Prenatal - methods; ultrasound
• ISSN: 0091-2751; 1097-0096; 1097-0096
• DOI: 10.1002/jcu.23794

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. Methods Fourteen healthy fetuses (control group), 13 fetuses with echogenic bowel (EB group), and seven 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 1 222 131 high‐quality sequences were generated after sequencing optimization of all samples. Each sample contained an average of 35 945 high‐quality sequences and 2036 operational taxonomic units (OTUs). There was no significant difference in the Shannon, Simpson index among the three groups. At the genus level, the abundance of Escherichia coli/Shigella in the EB and C‐EB groups 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. Conclusions The formation of echogenic bowel may be related to the microbiota. This study speculated that fetal intestinal hyperechogenicity may be related to gut microbiota by sequencing the newborn first meconium.