Perinatal Outcomes of Prenatal Probiotic and Prebiotic Administration: An Integrative Review

Authors

Leona VandeVusse, Marquette UniversityFollow
Lisa Hanson, Marquette UniversityFollow
Nasia Safdar, University of Wisconsin - Madison

Document Type

Article

Language

eng

Format of Original

4 p.

Publication Date

10-2013

Publisher

Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc.

Source Publication

Journal of Perinatal & Neonatal Nursing

Source ISSN

0893-2190

Original Item ID

doi: 10.1097/JPN.0b013e3182a1e15d

Abstract

The purpose of this integrative review was to identify, critique, and synthesize the maternal and neonatal evidence on the prenatal use of probiotics and prebiotics to inform perinatal health professionals. A comprehensive literature search resulted in 37 studies of prenatal probiotics and 1 on antepartal prebiotics published from 1990 through 2011 that reported maternal, fetal, and/or neonatal outcomes. The methodologic quality of the studies reviewed was high, although investigators used different probiotic combinations and inconsistently reported perinatal clinical outcomes. The extraction of perinatal outcome variables resulted in identification of 9 maternal and 5 neonatal categories. Prenatal probiotics significantly reduced the incidence of bacterial vaginosis, increased colonization with vaginal Lactobacillus and intestinal Lactobacillus rhamnosus, altered immune markers in serum and breast milk, improved maternal glucose metabolism, and reduced the incidence of gestational diabetes and preeclampsia. Antepartally, probiotics were associated with significantly higher counts of Bifidobacterium and Lactococcus lactis (healthy intestinal flora) in neonatal stool. Prenatal prebiotics significantly increased maternal intestinal Bifidobacterium. No adverse events were reported and there was evidence of safety and tolerance of prenatal probiotics and prebiotics in the scientific investigations reviewed. It is recommended that in future investigations of prenatal probiotics researchers explicitly report maternal and neonatal outcomes.

Comments

Accepted version. Journal of Perinatal & Neonatal Nursing, Vol. 27, No. 4 (October-December 2013): 288-301. DOI. © 2013 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Used with permission.

Recommended Citation

VandeVusse, Leona; Hanson, Lisa; and Safdar, Nasia, "Perinatal Outcomes of Prenatal Probiotic and Prebiotic Administration: An Integrative Review" (2013). College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications. 314.
https://epublications.marquette.edu/nursing_fac/314