Bacterial Transmission In Utero and IBD Risk
Bacterial Transmission In Utero and IBD Risk
Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), are
 caused by the loss of mucosal tolerance towards the commensal microbiota resulting in
 inflammatory responses.

 Identifying intestinal bacteria in mother and newborn of both IBD and Control groups allow us
 to understand the change of bacterial composition human microbiome in the gut during
 pregnancy and childhood development.
Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), are
 caused by the loss of mucosal tolerance towards the commensal microbiota resulting in
 inflammatory responses.

 Human microbiome studies have demonstrated dynamic changes in bacterial composition in the
 gut during pregnancy and childhood development. Moreover, the presence of pathogenic species,
 or absence of beneficial species, in early childhood has been suggested to play a key role in
 the initiation of preterm birth, development of asthma or eczema, allergy, autism or other
 immunological deficiency. The goal of this study is to better understand the link between
 maternal and newborn microbiome. Specifically, we will investigate the microbial composition
 of the stool of newborn babies born to mothers with certain health issues as compared to
 healthy mothers. This information may help identify the factors that can help better
 understand the risk transmitted through the microbiome.

 By collecting the samples including stools, saliva and understanding the health history of
 pregnant women with or without Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), we can compare the data of
 two groups pregnant women in order to find out the differences of microbiome in their guts.
 Another aim of our study is finding out the possibility of vertical bacteria transmission
 from mother to baby.

 Furthermore, our main focus is the meconium of newborn baby, we would like to know that the
 differences of microbiome in the gut between the newborns from two groups. Therefore, we will
 collect the umbilical cord blood, placenta, amniotic membrane, newborn cheek swab, and
 meconium. To investigate the disease transmission rate from mothers.
1. Pregnant Women with IBD (Case) Inclusion Criteria 1. Be pregnant or planning pregnancy
 2. To have confirmed IBD 3. To plan giving birth in Hong Kong Exclusion Criteria 1.
 Pregnancy complications, such as intrauterine fetal demise/stillbirth, preeclampsia,
 hyperemesis gravidarum, active infection, including chorioamnionitis or sepsis 2.
 Fetus chromosomal or structural abnormalities 3. Known history of HIV 4. History of
 Colectomy or ileo-anal pouch

 2. Pregnant Women without IBD (Control) Inclusion Criteria 1. To be pregnant or planning
 pregnancy 2. Subjects without IBD 3. To plan giving birth in Hong Kong Exclusion
 Criteria 1. Pregnancy complications, such as intrauterine fetal demise/stillbirth,
 preeclampsia, hyperemesis gravidarum, active infection, including chorioamnionitis or
 sepsis 2. Fetus chromosomal or structural abnormalities 3. Known history of HIV 4.
 History of colectomy or ileo-anal pouch 5. Autoimmune diseases 6. Blood in stools 7.
 History of perianal fistula or abscesses

 3. Family Members Inclusion Criteria 1. Residing in the same household with the pregnant
 woman from both case and control groups e.g. child, spouse, parents of the pregnant
 woman 2. The subject or, when applicable, the subject's legally acceptable
 representative (or parent or legal guardians) signs and dates a written, informed
 consent form prior to the initiation of study.

 4. New Born Baby Inclusion Criteria 1. Be a new born baby of enrolled pregnant women from
 both case and control groups 2. The subject's parents or legally guardians sign and
 date a written, informed consent form prior to the initiation of study.