Intake of probiotics may decrease risk of preeclampsia in primiparas

January 01, 0001

Intake of probiotics may decrease risk of preeclampsia in primiparas

Probiotics have been suggested to modify placental trophoblast inflammation, systemic inflammation, and blood pressure, all potentially interesting aspects of preeclampsia. The authors examined the association between consumption of milk-basedprobiotic products in pregnancy and development of preeclampsia and its subtypes. The study was performed in the NorwegianMother and Child Cohort Study by using a prospective design in 33,399 primiparous women in the years 2002-2008. The intakeof milk-based products containing probiotic lactobacilli was estimated from a self-reported food frequency questionnaire.Preeclampsia diagnoses were obtained from the Norwegian Medical Birth Registry.

Intake of probiotic milk products was associated with reduced risk of preeclampsia. The association was most prominent in severe preeclampsia (adjusted odds ratio(OR) = 0.79). With probiotic intakes divided into categories representing no, monthly, weekly, or daily intake, a lower risk for preeclampsia (all subtypes) was observed for daily probiotic intake (OR = 0.80). Lower risks for severe preeclampsia were observed for weekly (OR = 0.75) and daily (OR = 0.61) intakes.

These results suggest that regular consumption of milk-based probiotics could be associated with lower risk of preeclampsia in primiparous women.

Again, consumption based on questionnaire. There may be confounders between the two groups.

For the full abstract, click here.

Am J Epidemiol published online 5 August 2011 © The Author 2011
Intake of Probiotic Food and Risk of Preeclampsia in Primiparous Women: The Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study. Anne Lise Brantsæter, Ronny Myhre, Margaretha Haugen et al. Correspondence to Anne Lise Brantsæter:

Category: T. Endocrine/Metabolic/Nutritional, W. Keywords: probiotic, intake, risk, preeclampsia, primiparous, prospective, questionnaire, journal watch.
Synopsis edited by , Melbourne, Australia. Posted on Global Family Doctor 9 September 2011

Pearls are an independent product of the Cochrane primary care group and are meant for educational use and not to guide clinical care.