Table 2 Relative frequencies of answers to the questionnaire divided by declared prior knowledge of gut microbiota

Does the infant gut microbiota start forming already during pregnancy?

No

7 (3,6%)

50 (5,7%)

 < 0.001

I don't know

92 (46,9%)

154 (17,5%)

Yes

97 (49,5%)

676 (76,8%)

Do placenta, amniotic fluid and umbilical cord influence the development of the infant gut microbiota?

No

20 (10,2%)

67 (7,6%)

0.015

I don't know

57 (29,1%)

186 (21,1%)

Yes

119 (60,7%)

627 (71,3%)

Does maternal body mass index (BMI, weight/height^2) influence the development of the infant gut microbiota?

No

66 (33,7%)

293 (33,3%)

0.301

I don't know

81 (41,3%)

322 (36,6%)

Yes

49 (25,0%)

265 (30,1%)

Does maternal diet during pregnancy influence the development of the infant gut microbiota?

No

25 (12,8%)

60 (6,8%)

 < 0.001

I don't know

42 (21,4%)

77 (8,8%)

Yes

129 (65,8%)

743 (84,4%)

Do antibiotics taken during pregnancy influence the development of the infant gut microbiota?

No

25 (12,8%)

74 (8,4%)

0.012

I don't know

44 (22,4%)

145 (16,5%)

Yes

127 (64,8%)

661 (75,1%)

Does the mode of delivery (vaginal or cesarean section) influence the development of the infant gut microbiota?

No

104 (53,1%)

249 (28,3%)

 < 0.001

I don't know

55 (28,1%)

209 (23,8%)

Yes

37 (18,8%)

422 (47,9%)

Does premature birth influence the development of the infant gut microbiota?

No

75 (38,3%)

237 (26,9%)

 < 0.001

I don't know

70 (35,7%)

270 (30,7%)

Yes

51 (26,0%)

373 (42,4%)

Does admission to neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) influence the development of the infant gut microbiota?

No

46 (23,5%)

138 (15,7%)

0.003

I don't know

78 (39,8%)

312 (35,4%)

Yes

72 (36,7%)

430 (48,9%)

Does breastfeeding influence the development of the infant gut microbiota?

No

18 (9,2%)

30 (3,4%)

 < 0.001

I don't know

40 (20,4%)

57 (6,5%)

Yes

138 (70,4%)

793 (90,1%)

Has the gut microbiota been implicated in the development of allergies, eczema and asthma?

No

58 (29,6%)

204 (23,2%)

 < 0.001

I don't know

51 (26%)

152 (17,3%)

Yes

87 (44,4%)

524 (59,5%)

Has the gut microbiota been implicated in the development of diabetes and hypercholesterolemia?

No

26 (13,3%)

84 (9,5%)

0.001

I don't know

39 (19,9%)

99 (11,3%)

Yes

131 (66,8%)

697 (79,2%)

Has the gut microbiota been implicated in the development of intestinal disorders (e.g., inflammatory bowel diseases, irritable bowel syndrome)?

No

2 (1,0%)

10 (1,1%)

 < 0.001

I don't know

28 (14,3%)

28 (3,2%)

Yes

166 (84,7%)

842 (95,7%)

Has the gut microbiota been implicated in the development of obesity?

No

24 (12,2%)

111 (12,6%)

0.001

I don't know

42 (21,4%)

100 (11,4%)

Yes

130 (66,3%)

669 (76,0%)

Has the gut microbiota been implicated in the development of mood disorders (e.g., anxiety, depression)?

No

71 (36,2%)

256 (29,1%)

 < 0.001

I don't know

60 (30,6%)

193 (21,9%)

Yes

65 (33,2%)

431 (49,0%)

Has the gut microbiota been implicated in the development of neurodevelopmental disorders (e.g., autistic spectrum disorder)?

No

105 (53,6%)

454 (51,6%)

0.031

I don't know

69 (35,2%)

261 (29,6%)

Yes

22 (11,2%)

165 (18,8%)

Has the gut microbiota been implicated in the development of Alzheimer’s disease?

No

103 (52,6%)

459 (52,2%)

0.016

I don't know

81 (41,3%)

307 (34,9%)

Yes

12 (6,1%)

114 (12,9%)

Has the gut microbiota been implicated in the development of schizophrenia?

No

102 (52,0%)

470 (53,4%)

0.212

I don't know

79 (40,3%)

311 (35,3%)

Yes

15 (7,7%)

99 (11,3%)