Microbiota Restoration for C-Section Newborns

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Solution Overview

Problem

Pre-term and C-section born infants often have disrupted microbiota, leading to increased risks of immune, inflammatory, and metabolic disorders due to the lack of maternal vaginal microbiota seeding, which is not effectively addressed by existing methods.

Innovation Solution

Administering an effective amount of maternal vaginal microbiota inoculum or a probiotic composition at birth or shortly thereafter to stimulate under-represented bacteria and inhibit over-represented bacteria in the microbiota of pre-term or C-section born infants, thereby restoring normal microbiota and reducing disease risks.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If Cesarean section delivery is performed, then delivery safety and control are improved, but microbiota colonization is disrupted leading to increased disease risk

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedelivery safetyVSAvoidmicrobiota disruption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by collecting and preparing maternal vaginal microbiota inoculum before the Cesarean section delivery, then administering it to the newborn immediately after birth. This pre-prepared inoculum compensates for the missed natural colonization process during vaginal delivery, addressing the microbiota disruption caused by the safe but non-vaginal delivery method.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Stability of the object's composition

If maternal vaginal microbiota inoculum is administered, then microbiota restoration is improved, but disease risk reduction is enhanced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemicrobiota compositionVSAvoiddisease risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent converts the harmful effect of microbiota disruption into a benefit by providing targeted probiotic supplementation. The administered vaginal microbiota inoculum, containing beneficial bacteria like Lactobacillus, Bacteroides, and Bifidobacterium, transforms the negative consequence of C-section delivery into an opportunity for controlled, beneficial microbial colonization that reduces disease risk.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Quantity of substance

If probiotic composition is used to stimulate under-represented bacteria, then microbiota diversity is improved, but bacterial balance is restored

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebacterial diversityVSAvoidbacterial balance

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the bacterial composition parameters of the newborn's microbiota. The probiotic composition is specifically formulated to increase the abundance of under-represented beneficial bacteria while suppressing over-represented potentially harmful bacteria, thereby changing the microbiota composition parameters to achieve a healthier balance similar to vaginal delivery.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS10357521B2Methods for restoring microbiota of newborns

Publication Date: 2019.07.23 UNIVERSITY OF PUERTO RICO

AI summary

The invention relates to methods and compositions for restoring normal microbiota in pre-term newborns or newborns delivered by Cesarean section and methods for preventing or ameliorating diseases associated with delivery by Cesarean section or pre-term birth comprising administering to said newborns at the time of birth or shortly thereafter an effective amount of a vaginal microbiota inoculum obtained from the newborn's mother or a donor or an effective amount of a probiotic composition.