Melody TRIAL- Can Maternal Diet Reduce Disease Transmission to the Newborn? » BIOME ONBOARD AWARENESS: THE SCIENCE BEHIND FOOD, OUR MICROBIOME, AND DISEASE

Last Updated on January 3, 2019 by Patricia Carter

SUMMARY: I am beyond excited to begin 2019 with the announcement of a groundbreaking microbiome study that I’ve been asked to help spread the word on! The study, called the MELODY trial, peels back the layers of microbiome influence further than any study I’ve seen to date because it moves the needle for microbiome manipulation PAST the immediate host to hopefully influence and alter the health of the newborn! HOW? The MELODY Trial will recruit childbearing aged women to investigate if changing the maternal diet can reduce transmission of disease to the newborn! The Melody Trial will focus on Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) because children born to mothers with IBD have increased risk of IBD. Participant recruitment is targeted to begin mid-January, 2019. Its website is coming soon, and I’ll post that info ASAP! However, to start this discussion and catch all up to speed, this post explains another study called the MECONIUM Study (see the link here) and its EIGHT publications are below! MECONIUM stands for Exploring MEChanisms Of disease traNsmission In Utero through the Microbiome. I’m starting here because the MELODY trial is based on the preliminary findings of the MECONIUM Study! The primary investigating lab for both studies is Peter Lab, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. The MECONIUM Study was a prospective study that explored the role IBD plays in the composition of the maternal and infant microbiome. The MECONIUM Study found that the dysbiotic microbiome seen in infants born to mothers with IBD can be improved when ENVIRONMENTAL factors known to have a negative effect on the microbiome are ABSENT in early life. In particular, the sub-optimal microbiome of babies born to IBD mothers were MITIGATED in early life when the baby was born vaginally, was not exposed to antibiotics, and was exclusively or partially breastfed. Because of these findings, and since DIET is also considered an environmental factor that can change the gut microbiome, the MELODY Trial investigates if IBD mothers consuming the UMass IBD-AID diet (a diet shown to change the gut microbiome to anti-inflammatory, aid in repair of the gut, and help restore balance to the immune system to help induce remission for IBD), also alters the vaginal microbiome and reduces the risk of transmitting the dysbiotic disease-prone microbiome to the newborn. Guys, if the MELODY Trial works for IBD, will this strategy work for other diseases?!? Please, do your part and share this info with your friends, daughters, gynecologists, GI docs, doulas… Lets load this cohort quickly and move the needle to make the future better for our next generation! We’ve messed so many things up microbiome-wise, WE OWE OUR CHILDREN THIS!

For Background: Meconium Study Details

The MECONIUM Study compared the bacterial profiles of pregnant women with and without IBD and their newborn babies. The goal was to explore the role of genetic make-up, disease activity throughout pregnancy, medications and clinical features on the bacterial composition of the baby. In addition, the study assessed if feeding behavior (breastfeeding versus formula) and/or antibiotic use early in life helped modify the microbiome.

Study insights: Given that the maternal gut bacteria can be manipulated by diet, food supplementation, and other ways, this study can help identify the types of bacteria that need to be altered prior to or during pregnancy to significantly reduce the risk of IBD transmission. The MECONIUM Study cohort details were:

Women who are pregnant or who are planning to become pregnant were eligible to participate.
You did not need to have IBD to enroll in the study. Women with and without IBD who had a partner with IBD were also enrolled.
You did not need to live by Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai to participate. There was compensation of up to $425 for participation.

Publications from the Meconium Study

Dysbiotic Gut Microbiome of Infants Born to Mothers w IBD is Mitigated by Early Life Enviro Factors
Download

Differences in the microbial composition in cord blood and placenta by maternal IBD status Download

Infants Born to Mothers w IBD Exhibit Distinct Microbiome Features that Persist up to 3 Months of Life Download

Fecal Calprotectin in babies born to mothers with or without IBD and correlation with microbiome Download

Gut Microbiota of Preg Women w Crohn’s and their Babies Transfers Abnorm Adaptive Imm Sys to Gnotobiotic Mice Download

Meconium Study_Exploring mechism of IBD transmission in utero through microbiome Download

Fecal Lactoferrin is a reliable IBD biomarker during pregnancy Download

Psychoemotional exp of pregnancy in women w IBD and correl w gut microbiome Download

In conclusion,

I look forward to posting very soon the details for the upcoming MELODY Trial (as soon as its website goes live)! Just to sum, in the MELODY trial, IBD participants will consume the UMass IBD-AID. This diet is in further testing and has been shown to change the gut microbiome to anti-inflammatory, aide in repair of the gut, and help restore balance to the immune system to help induce remission for IBD. The MELODY Trial aims to learn if changing the maternal diet can also alter the vaginal microbiome and reduce the risk of transmitting the dysbiotic disease-prone microbiome to the newborn!