What can your microbiota tell you about your health?

OBJECTIVE

As healthy microbiota lays the foundation, it is crucial for midwives, who play an important role and responsibility in providing necessary recommendations for strengthening the connection between the mother and the child, to understand the basic structures and functions of various microbial communities and to be knowledgeable about microbiota and health. Therefore, this study aimed to provide microbiota education to midwifery students to explain the importance of microbiota for health, demonstrate its relationship with newborn health, women's health, and diseases, and evaluate the students' awareness of microbiota at the end of the education.

METHODS

The education provided within the scope of the research was conducted face-to-face over 4 weeks, with 2 h of education per week, totaling 8 h. The students' level of knowledge about microbiota was assessed before and 3 months after the education using the microbiota knowledge test, and statistical analysis was conducted.

RESULTS

The education provided within the scope of the research was conducted face-to-face over 4 weeks, with 2 h of education per week, totaling 8 h. The students' level of knowledge about microbiota was assessed before and 3 months after the education using the microbiota knowledge test, and statistical analysis was conducted.

CONCLUSIONS

Through peer education, areas of confusion experienced by students regarding microbiota were gamified, resolved through mutual knowledge exchange, and awareness of microbiota was raised.