"Hey child, why were you born when the world is almost over?": An analysis of first-time mothers' postpartum experiences during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in Coatepec, Veracruz, Mexico.

Introduction: In Coatepec, Mexico, the immediate postpartum is considered a special time, called the cuarentena, when postpartum women receive critical social support and observe diet and activity pre- and proscriptions-all intended to enhance maternal-child health. This study examined how public health mandates aimed at containing COVID-19, which instructed people to socially isolate, affected women's postpartum experiences, including observing the cuarentena.

Methods: We recruited first-time mothers from the local public health clinic and collected qualitative data via a verbally administered survey that covered knowledge/perceived threat of COVID-19 and its effect on the cuarentena and maternal mood.

Comparing different sample collection and storage methods for field-based skin microbiome research.

Objectives: The skin, as well as its microbial communities, serves as the primary interface between the human body and the surrounding environment. In order to implement the skin microbiome into human biology research, there is a need to explore the effects of different sample collection and storage methodologies, including the feasibility of conducting skin microbiome studies in field settings.

Methods: We collected 99 skin microbiome samples from nine infants living in Veracruz, Mexico using a dual-tipped "dry" swab on the right armpit, palm, and forehead and a "wet" swab (0.

Infant Skin Bacterial Communities Vary by Skin Site and Infant Age across Populations in Mexico and the United States.

Daily practices put humans in close contact with the surrounding environment, and differences in these practices have an impact on human physiology, development, and health. There is mounting evidence that the microbiome represents an interface that mediates interactions between the human body and the environment. In particular, the skin microbiome serves as the primary interface with the external environment and aids in host immune function by contributing as the first line of defense against pathogens.