How Gut Bacteria Influence

Discoveries made in the last five years or so have shown that we are introduced to microorganisms even before our birth. Contrary
to the earlier belief that the mother’s womb protects a developing foetus against micro-organisms, we now know that bacteria from the mother’s blood can enter the amniotic fluid (that surrounds the developing foetus). The type and numbers of these bacteria have
a huge bearing not only on pregnancy outcomes but also on the immune system of the new-born. Our association with microbes becomes more rapid at the time of our birth. A new-born is exposed to microorganisms in almost everything it makes contact with– its mother’s birth canal, skin and breast milk; other food; and the environment. All its exposed surfaces, including its skin, eyes, ears, reproductive tract and gut, are quickly colonised by microbes. The nature and size of these initial microbial populations can vary initially with changes in diet and environment, but as a child grows older, these microbial communities become more stable in composition. The gut of an adult has over thousands of species of microorganisms of all kinds – bacteria, fungi and viruses, and contributes nearly 2 kilograms of her body weight