Probiotics Properties: A Focus on Pregnancy Outcomes

Abstract

A healthy microbiome plays an important role in the prevention of illness and maintenance of overall health, including reproductive health. Although the therapeutic advantages of probiotics have been shown to run across multiple organ systems, their role in pregnancy is not well explored. The aim of this review is to highlight the potential advantages and adverse effects of probiotics in pregnancy. Data were collected from the literature over the past decade using PubMed, Medline, Google Scholar, Ovid, Scopus, and Science Direct. A total of 40 articles were utilized in this review. Collected data indicated that prenatal and post-natal supplementation with lactobacilli alone or lactobacilli with Bifidobacterium spp. seems to be protective. Probiotics may improve insulin resistance and consequently reduce the risk of gestational diabetes. Probiotics may also reduce anxiety and depression by influencing brain activity. Additionally, they interfere with vaginal flora to make it friendlier to beneficial bacteria, and enhance anti-inflammatory or reduce pro-inflammatory cytokines. They may also decrease eczema in breastfed infants and prevent allergic reactions by downregulating Th2 responses to specific allergens from mid to late gestation. Leveraging the cervicovaginal microbiota could promote a number of positive pregnancy-related health outcomes. Caution should be exercised in the selection, dosing, and monitoring of probiotics administration. More comprehensive randomized clinical trials are needed to reach a more meaningful evidence-based clinical knowledge.

Keywords: Allergy; Lactobacilli; Microbiota; Opportunistic infection; Pregnancy; Probiotics; Reproductive health.