Impact of gut microbiome in pregnancy on maternal mental health and child developmental outcomes

There is a growing body of literature that indicates that various factors during pregnancy, such as maternal mental health, weight, and diet, influence a child’s neurodevelopment, but how these effects are mediated remains unclear. This PhD project aims to investigate whether the maternal gut microbiota plays a role in this process.

Publications

Hieta J, et al. Perinatal depressive and anxiety symptoms are associated with gut microbiota in pregnant women with overweight and obesity. Brain Behav Immun Health. 2025 Jun 19;47:101042. doi: 10.1016/j.bbih.2025.101042. 

Author

Janina Hieta M.Sc., PhD candidate,
University of Turku, Institute of Biomedicine
Nutrition and Food Research Center