Can probiotics reduce pregnancy risks?
Pregnant women who have probiotics might reduce their risk of developing pre- eclampsia and premature birth, new research suggests.
However, the study in the online journal BMJ Open found that the timing of when during pregnancy to include them in your diet could be crucial.
Risks to pregnancy
Pre-eclampsia can develop from around the 20th week of pregnancy, causing high blood pressure and protein in the urine.
The condition affects up to 5% of pregnancies and may develop into the more severe eclampsia, which also causes seizures.
Pre-eclampsia can interfere with the placenta's ability to deliver oxygen and nutrition to the developing foetus.
Premature birth, when a baby is born before the 37th week of pregnancy, affects around 1 in 9 babies in the UK.
What role does diet play?
Norwegian researchers say evidence suggests that a mother's diet can influence the outcome of pregnancy. Also, previous research has suggested that probiotics might reduce some pregnancy complications.
Probiotics are live bacteria and yeasts frequently added to yoghurts or taken as food supplements. They are often described as 'good' or 'friendly' bacteria.
Probiotic products are believed to help restore or maintain the natural balance of bacteria in the gut.
To investigate whether probiotics might reduce some complications in pregnancy, the researchers looked at data from 70,149 singleton pregnancies. The Norwegian mothers-to-be had provided details of their diet, lifestyle, and medical history, at 15, 22 and 30 weeks of pregnancy.
Out of this group, 23.3% said they had taken probiotics before conceiving, 37.6% used probiotics during early pregnancy and 32.2% during late pregnancy.
Intake of probiotics was more common among first-time mothers who were older, more affluent, and better educated, the researchers note.
Probiotics during late pregnancy
Probiotic intake was associated with a 20% lower risk of developing pre-eclampsia. However, this association was only seen among the mothers-to-be who consumed probiotics in the later stages of pregnancy.
When the team looked separately at cases of mild and severe pre-eclampsia, a statistically significant link was only found in the most severe cases.
Among 34,458 women included in the premature birth analysis, 8.3% of babies were born early.
A significant association emerged between probiotic intake during early pregnancy and an 11% lower risk of premature birth, rising to 27% in late pregnancy.
The researchers say the quantity of probiotics did not seem to influence the result. They suggest that probiotics might reduce the risk of pre-eclampsia by lowering blood pressure.
The authors caution that they are unable to prove cause and effect because they used data drawn from another study. Also, the analysis depended on the participants accurately reporting their diet.
'Promising results'
Dr Patrick O’Brien, spokesperson for the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG), comments in an emailed statement: "This is an interesting and large scale study with promising results showing that probiotic consumption during pregnancy, particularly in the early and late stages, lowers the risk of pre-eclampsia and premature birth.
"While these are positive findings, it is important to note the study demonstrates only an association and therefore no definitive conclusions can be made. More research is needed to determine these protective effects, and if proven, probiotic use could potentially be recommended as a public health measure to lower the [risk of] pre-eclampsia and premature birth.
"Eating a healthy, well-balanced diet before, during and after pregnancy is crucial and will increase a woman’s chances of conceiving naturally and lower the risk of pregnancy and birth-related complications, including premature birth."
www.webmd.boots.com/pregnancy/news/20180124/probiotics-reduce-pregnancy-risks
However, the study in the online journal BMJ Open found that the timing of when during pregnancy to include them in your diet could be crucial.
Risks to pregnancy
Pre-eclampsia can develop from around the 20th week of pregnancy, causing high blood pressure and protein in the urine.
The condition affects up to 5% of pregnancies and may develop into the more severe eclampsia, which also causes seizures.
Pre-eclampsia can interfere with the placenta's ability to deliver oxygen and nutrition to the developing foetus.
Premature birth, when a baby is born before the 37th week of pregnancy, affects around 1 in 9 babies in the UK.
What role does diet play?
Norwegian researchers say evidence suggests that a mother's diet can influence the outcome of pregnancy. Also, previous research has suggested that probiotics might reduce some pregnancy complications.
Probiotics are live bacteria and yeasts frequently added to yoghurts or taken as food supplements. They are often described as 'good' or 'friendly' bacteria.
Probiotic products are believed to help restore or maintain the natural balance of bacteria in the gut.
To investigate whether probiotics might reduce some complications in pregnancy, the researchers looked at data from 70,149 singleton pregnancies. The Norwegian mothers-to-be had provided details of their diet, lifestyle, and medical history, at 15, 22 and 30 weeks of pregnancy.
Out of this group, 23.3% said they had taken probiotics before conceiving, 37.6% used probiotics during early pregnancy and 32.2% during late pregnancy.
Intake of probiotics was more common among first-time mothers who were older, more affluent, and better educated, the researchers note.
Probiotics during late pregnancy
Probiotic intake was associated with a 20% lower risk of developing pre-eclampsia. However, this association was only seen among the mothers-to-be who consumed probiotics in the later stages of pregnancy.
When the team looked separately at cases of mild and severe pre-eclampsia, a statistically significant link was only found in the most severe cases.
Among 34,458 women included in the premature birth analysis, 8.3% of babies were born early.
A significant association emerged between probiotic intake during early pregnancy and an 11% lower risk of premature birth, rising to 27% in late pregnancy.
The researchers say the quantity of probiotics did not seem to influence the result. They suggest that probiotics might reduce the risk of pre-eclampsia by lowering blood pressure.
The authors caution that they are unable to prove cause and effect because they used data drawn from another study. Also, the analysis depended on the participants accurately reporting their diet.
'Promising results'
Dr Patrick O’Brien, spokesperson for the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG), comments in an emailed statement: "This is an interesting and large scale study with promising results showing that probiotic consumption during pregnancy, particularly in the early and late stages, lowers the risk of pre-eclampsia and premature birth.
"While these are positive findings, it is important to note the study demonstrates only an association and therefore no definitive conclusions can be made. More research is needed to determine these protective effects, and if proven, probiotic use could potentially be recommended as a public health measure to lower the [risk of] pre-eclampsia and premature birth.
"Eating a healthy, well-balanced diet before, during and after pregnancy is crucial and will increase a woman’s chances of conceiving naturally and lower the risk of pregnancy and birth-related complications, including premature birth."
www.webmd.boots.com/pregnancy/news/20180124/probiotics-reduce-pregnancy-risks
