Article
Intestinal Microflora in the Newborn Infant
Fetuses are sterile in the womb, but beginning with the birth process, infants are exposed to microbes that originate from the mother and the surrounding environment including breast milk or formula. The infant tends to acquire the flora swallowed from the vaginal fluid at the time of delivery. Because vaginal flora and intestinal flora are similar, an infant’s flora may closely mimic the intestinal flora of the mother.
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