Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 26, 2025
09:09
A Method for Targeted 16S Sequencing of Human Milk Samples
Published on: March 23, 2018
10.2K
Probiotics and human lactational mastitis: A scoping review
Melissa Barker1, Pamela Adelson2, Micah D J Peters3
1Rosemary Bryant AO Research Centre, Division of Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia; The Women's and Children's Hospital, North Adelaide, Australia; Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia.
Summary
Probiotics show promise for treating and preventing lactational mastitis, but current research is limited. More high-quality studies are needed to confirm their effectiveness for breastfeeding women.
Area of Science:
- Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Microbiology
- Public Health
Background:
- Lactational mastitis is a common complication for breastfeeding women, often leading to antibiotic use and reduced breastfeeding duration.
- Probiotics are being explored for their anti-inflammatory properties as a potential strategy for mastitis prevention and treatment.
- Despite growing interest and commercial availability, robust scientific evidence on probiotic efficacy for lactational mastitis remains limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To conduct a scoping review of existing evidence on the consumption of probiotics for lactational mastitis.
- To critically appraise the quality of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating probiotics for mastitis.
- To answer the question: What is the evidence regarding probiotic consumption and human lactational mastitis?
Main Methods:
- A scoping review was performed adhering to the PRISMA-ScR guidelines.
- Five randomized controlled trials (RCTs) met the inclusion criteria for the review.
- Included studies were critically appraised using the Joanna Briggs Institute checklist for RCTs.
Main Results:
- Three RCTs examined probiotics for mastitis treatment, and two for mastitis prevention.
- All included studies reported a reduced incidence of mastitis in groups that consumed probiotics.
- Preliminary findings suggest a potential benefit of probiotics in managing lactational mastitis.
Conclusions:
- While initial results are promising, all reviewed studies exhibited significant methodological limitations.
- Limitations included inadequate reporting of baseline characteristics, unclear hypotheses, lack of power calculations, and inconsistent definitions.
- Further well-designed and rigorously conducted research is essential to establish evidence-based recommendations for probiotic use in lactational mastitis.
