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Microbiome

Can gut microbes cause pregnancy complications?

Li C, Liu C, Li N · Frontiers in microbiology · 2022

Open access · cc by · source: Europe PMC

Two-sample MR of 18,340 MiBioGen participants versus FinnGen pregnancy GWAS found taxon-specific IVW signals—e.g. Deltaproteobacteria raising PPH risk (OR 1.26) and Butyricimonas lowering it (OR 0.79).

Study at a glance

Design
Mendelian randomisation — Two-sample MR of MiBioGen gut-microbiome GWAS vs FinnGen R5 adverse pregnancy outcomes, IVW primary with MR-Egger/MR-PRESSO
N
N=18340 · MiBioGen exposure GWAS: 18,340 participants, 24 cohorts, 196 taxa after dropping unnamed taxa; FinnGen R5 outcomes include PPH 3,670/98,626 and GDM 5,687/117,892
Population
Host-genetics–microbiome GWAS (MiBioGen) and Finnish pregnancy-complication GWAS (FinnGen R5)
Outcome
IVW odds ratios for postpartum hemorrhage, abruptio placentae, spontaneous abortion, PROM, GDM, preeclampsia/eclampsia, and preterm birth

Structured fields used in claim comparison tables when every cited study has a complete layer.

Key findings

Several genera showed IVW associations: Deltaproteobacteria with higher PPH (OR 1.26, 1.00–1.59), Butyricimonas with lower PPH (OR 0.79), and mixed AP/GDM signals including Holdemanella OR 0.41 for abruptio placentae. All F statistics were >10.

Methodology

Used locus-wide SNPs (p < 1×10⁻⁵) from MiBioGen 16S/genotype data (18,340 people; 196 taxa) as instruments for six FinnGen R5 adverse pregnancy outcomes, with IVW as the main estimator plus MR-Egger, MR-PRESSO, Cochran Q, and leave-one-out.

Limitations

MR of 16S taxa is not a trial of probiotics; FinnGen endpoints are coded diagnoses, SNPs were not genome-wide significant (p < 1×10⁻⁵), and horizontal pleiotropy can remain even after MR-PRESSO.

How this study connects

Role on claims

Each row is a claim on a concept or method page where this paper supports, challenges, or qualifies the statement. Roles are hand-checked — not a model guess.

  • SupportsMicrobiomeconcept

    Two-sample MR links specific gut taxa to postpartum hemorrhage and other pregnancy outcomes.

    MR of 18,340 MiBioGen participants versus FinnGen pregnancy GWAS found taxon-specific IVW signals—e.g. Deltaproteobacteria raising PPH risk (OR 1.26) and Butyricimonas lowering it (OR 0.79); Holdemanella OR 0.41 for abruptio placentae. All F statistics were >10.

    Evidence for the claim as stated.

  • SupportsMicrobiomeconcept

    A Himalayan lifestyle-gradient community shift, mouse OMV rescue of DSS colitis, CRC mucosa 16S, and pregnancy-outcome MR all involve gut microbes, but they do not test the same host, exposure, or outcome as cancer MR or pediatric T1D timing studies.

    Evidence for the claim as stated.

Open questions

Tensions this paper is part of

From concept pages' “where studies disagree.” Disagreement means the same question; scope means different assays, populations, or outcomes.

History

When this study was placed

Dated entries from the concept change log — when this paper was added or removed as support, challenge, or qualifier on a claim.

  1. 2026-09-18

    Placed as supporting evidence on Microbiome

    MR of 18,340 MiBioGen participants versus FinnGen pregnancy GWAS found taxon-specific IVW signals—e.g. Deltaproteobacteria raising PPH risk (OR 1.26) and Butyricimonas lowering it (OR 0.79); Holdemanella OR 0.41 for abruptio placentae. All F statistics were >10.

  2. 2026-09-18

    Placed as supporting evidence on Microbiome

    A Himalayan lifestyle-gradient community shift, mouse OMV rescue of DSS colitis, CRC mucosa 16S, and pregnancy-outcome MR all involve gut microbes, but they do not test the same host, exposure, or outcome as cancer MR or pediatric T1D timing studies.

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