Effects of Maternal Fortified Balanced Energy-Protein Supplementation on the Mother-Infant Gut Microbiome: A Sub-Study of the MISAME-III Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract Biological pathways, including individual gut microbiome are potential barriers for maternal nutritional supplementation to improvement in infant growth. We evaluated the impact of balanced energy-protein (BEP) supplementation during pregnancy and the first six months of lactation on the composition and functionality of gut microbiome in mothers and their infants in rural Burkina Faso. Our findings reveal that BEP supplementation led to a significant increase in microbiome diversity during pregnancy. In the second trimester, there was a notable decrease in the abundance of an Oscillospiraceae species, while postpartum, the abundance of Bacteroides fragilis increased. We identified concerted enriched or depleted microbial pathways associated with BEP supplementation, including the phosphotransferase system, a critical mechanism for bacterial carbohydrates uptake, which exhibited enrichment in infants born to BEP-supplemented mothers. Despite these observations, the intricate biological connections with other omics necessitate further analysis to fully elucidate the underlying comprehensive biological pathways.