Darmflora – was ist das eigentlich?
Reading time: 4 Min.
When we are born, we immediately become acquainted with billions of new beings: bacteria. They provide a strong immune system for the newborn. Science has assumed that our intestines are initially sterile. Recent studies found out that there are a few bacteria already in the intestines of the fetus. They are said to have a composition similar to the mother's oral flora and are believed to enter the intestine through the amniotic fluid.
Our first intestinal flora blossoms when we are born. It may sound a little strange, but the first load of bacteria is absorbed by the baby through the mouth from the mother's vaginal flora. When it is pressed through the birth canal, it makes contact with the bacteria, which then move on to the intestine. These are mainly the lactic acid producing bifidobacteria and lactobacilli. Other bacteria that help to determine the unique composition of the intestinal flora are added through skin contact with the mother and the environment in which the child is born. If a child is born by cesarean section, the first contact with the mother's vaginal flora is missing. The intestinal flora of these children looks different because it can only be colonized by bacteria from the mother's skin and the environment. Researchers suspect that these children will later be more susceptible to diseases such as allergies or asthma, but more studies are being carried out. There is also something else that is very important, that is also related to the composition of the intestinal flora.
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