Flash on gut microbiome in gestational diabetes: a pilot study

Pregnancy induces a deep modification of women's gut microbiota composition. These changes may influence hormonal and metabolic factors, increasing insulin resistance and leading to hyperglycaemia in susceptible women. Data on 29 women in pregnancy showed insignificant reductions in the Bacteroidetes/Firmicutes ratio in women with (n.14) and without (n.15) gestational diabetes (GDM). Gut microbiota compositions at the genera and species level were further analysed in ten pregnant women with and ten without GDM (9 samples were excluded due to low DNA quality/quantity), showing differences in functionally specific patterns affecting host energy dietary polysaccharide metabolism pathways. According to our results, gut microbiome alteration may play a role in GDM pathogenesis through an increase of gut permeability and higher intestinal energetic balance.