In plain words
A probiotic is a live bacterium or yeast that some people take for possible health effects on the gut. Some probiotics are found in food, such as yogurt and fermented foods. Others come as supplements. During pregnancy, researchers ask three questions: whether gut changes contribute to or , whether taking probiotics in pregnancy helps the mother or the baby, and how to ease the constipation and gut symptoms that pregnancy often causes. The evidence so far is mixed, and not every product is the same. Probiotic supplements are not regulated like medicines in every country. If you are considering one, ask your provider or pharmacist what is known for your situation.
The deeper version
The International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics defined a probiotic as a live microorganism that, when administered in adequate amounts, confers a health benefit on the host (Hill and colleagues, Nature Reviews Gastroenterology and Hepatology, 2014). In pregnancy, interest centers on in gestational diabetes and preeclampsia, on maternal and infant outcomes from , and on functional gastrointestinal symptoms. Trial evidence on gestational diabetes and infant allergy outcomes is heterogeneous, with strain, dose, and timing as major variables. Product quality and strain identity vary across the market. The main controversy concerns whether observed microbial changes in pregnancy are causal, and whether strain-specific effects can be generalized.
Where it comes up
- Gut health before and during pregnancyBefore Pregnancy
- Supplements beyond the prenatal: what's worth asking aboutPregnancy: Eating
- Constipation and hemorrhoids in pregnancyPregnancy: Your Body
- Gestational diabetesPregnancy: Your Body
What mothers here say about probiotic
No one has posted under this term yet.
Sources
- Hill C et al. — Expert consensus document: the International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics consensus statement on the scope and appropriate use of the term probiotic. Nature Reviews Gastroenterology and Hepatology (2014)