Gut Health for Two: the Critical Role of Probiotics and Prebiotics in Pregnancy and Lactation

This review summarizes current research on the effects of probiotics and prebiotics during pregnancy and lactation.

During pregnancy and lactation, various changes occur in maternal hormone levels and physiological processes to ensure the most favorable intrauterine environment. These changes may vary depending on factors such as maternal nutritional status and mode of delivery, and they can also lead to alterations in the maternal gut microbiota, breast milk microbiota, and neonatal gut microbiota. In this context, probiotic and prebiotic supplementation is considered to have potential benefits in preventing adverse outcomes during pregnancy and lactation. A literature review reveals that while prebiotic studies remain limited, probiotic research is comparatively more extensive. Current evidence suggests that probiotic, prebiotic, and synbiotic supplementation during pregnancy may exert beneficial effects on the prevention or mitigation of conditions such as gestational diabetes, maternal obesity, atopic dermatitis, and eczema, and positively influencing the composition of the vaginal microbiota. These outcomes are further supported during lactation by positive changes in the breast milk microbiota, improvements in conditions such as mastitis and breast pain, reduced risk of necrotizing enterocolitis, late-onset sepsis, and infantile colic, as well as a decrease in the frequency of infant crying. Although probiotic and prebiotic supplements are considered promising approaches to preventing health problems specific to pregnancy and lactation, there is a need for more methodologically sound, long-term, and randomized controlled studies in this field. Thus, the safety, efficacy, and place of these supplements in clinical practice can be demonstrated.