Microbirth (2014)

Microbirth: Directed by Toni Harman, Alex Wakeford. With Aleeca Bell, Martin Blaser, Sue Carter, Hannah Dahlen. Winner of Grand Prix Award at 2014 Life Sciences Film Festival. A documentary on the latest research on the origins of the microbiome; how microscopic events during childbirth have lifelong consequences for the health of our children.

“Microbirth is an excellent documentary that provides cutting edge research into the 90% that is us, our microbiome. This wonderful, necessary part of us that protects and maintains our body and health over a lifetime has one chance to get seeded and established – at birth. While the debate rages over which is best, natural childbirth vs. C-section, Microbirth is careful to establish a necessary foundation. Natural childbirth might be preferable but much can be done to establish the microbiome even if a C- section is needed. With little to no conjecture and mountains of hard and fast science, the way is paved for the lay audience to understand the microbiome, where it gets its start and how maintaining it over a lifetime benefits every person. Cinematography is wonderful and the narrator is excellent. Kudos to every scientist who took the time to be interviewed and present this necessary science to the world.”