C-Section babies get a microbiome boost to fight allergies

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * Pregnant woman must be able to understand and provide informed consent; * Pregnant women with singleton pregnancies with a non-anomalous, appropriately-grown fetus; and * Atopic disease (asthma, allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, or atopic dermatitis) or food allergy in a first-degree relative of the infant to-be-delivered (for exception, see exclusion criteria\*). Exclusion Criteria: For C-Section Mothers: * In labor with evidence of cervical change prior to the scheduled C-section; * Rupture of the amniotic sac; or * Vaginal pH \> 4.5 on the day of delivery. For Vaginal Delivery Mothers: \- Use of induction agents for cervical ripening (cervical prostaglandin or Foley catheter). For All Mothers and Their Infants: * Inability or unwillingness of a participant to give written informed consent or comply with study protocol; * History of moderate to severe atopic dermatitis within the past year in the mother; * Express no intention to breastfeed; * History of diabetes mellitus or gestational diabetes mellitus; * History of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) (e.g., Crohn's Disease or ulcerative colitis); * Evidence of an active sexually transmitted infection (STI) (e.g., primary herpes or genital warts, or trichomonas), yeast infection, or vaginosis on the day of delivery; * Evidence of prior or current hepatitis B or C infection as demonstrated by the presence of the hepatitis B surface antigen, antibody positivity against the hepatitis B core antigen, or antibody positivity against the hepatitis C virus; --Assessment for active hepatitis B and hepatitis C infection will be repeated for this study even if prior testing during the current pregnancy was negative; * Evidence of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection (e.g., positive HIV serology or detectable viral load); * Positive Group B Streptococcus (GBS) test results by rectovaginal swab performed within 5 weeks of delivery, a prior infant with invasive GBS disease, or GBS bacteriuria at any point during pregnancy; * Evidence of N. gonorrhoeae or C. trachomatis infection by testing performed within 5 weeks of delivery; * History of antibiotic administration during the third trimester of the current pregnancy; * Mothers with serious chronic conditions during pregnancy; * Mothers with complicated pregnancies including pre-eclampsia, chorioamnionitis, placenta previa, vasa previa, placental abruption, or active vaginal bleeding; * Maternal fever on the day of delivery (visit 0); * Infants with complications during delivery, such that the infant requires more than the standard neonatal resuscitation after delivery; * Infants delivered prior to 37 weeks of gestation; * Thick particulate meconium noted upon delivery of the infant; * Presence of a congenital abnormality in the infant for which study participation is not recommended; * Current, diagnosed mental illness or current, diagnosed or self-reported drug or alcohol abuse in the mother that, in the opinion of the investigator, would interfere with the participant's ability to comply with study requirements; * Use of investigational drugs during the third trimester of pregnancy; or * Past or current medical problems or findings from physical examination or laboratory testing that are not listed above, which, in the opinion of the investigator may: * Pose additional risks from participation in the study, * Interfere with the participant's ability to comply with study requirements, or * May impact the quality or interpretation of the data obtained from the study.