EFFECT OF INTRAPARTUM CHEMOPROPHYLAXIS AND MODE OF DELIVERY ON NEONATAL GUT COLONIZATION

This study was undertaken to investigate the influence of intrapartum chemotherapy on gut colonisation of healthy full-term neonates delivered vaginally or by caesarean section. The study included 73 pregnant women and their 73 newborns. The mothers (n = 37) in the treatment group received intrapartum ampicillin before delivery and the mothers (n = 36) in the other group remained untreated. In the newborns, vaginal delivery leads to increased colonisation by Bacteroides (P < 0.0001) and Lactobacillus spp. (P = 0.0020). Intrapartum administration of ampicillin delayed colonisation by Lactobacillus spp. (P = 0.0012) after vaginal delivery. The results of this study show that even a single-dose intrapartum administration of ampicillin exposes the neonate to colonisation disturbances of Lactobacillus spp., just as does caesarean section.