Maternal probiotic supplementation during pregnancy and breast-feeding reduces the risk of eczema in the infant.

Study answer

What this study found

Maternal probiotic supplementation reduced infant eczema risk through 24 months and lowered chronically persistent eczema, with no increase in adverse effects. Eczema up to age 24 months occurred in 21/73 (29%) in the LPR1BL999 group and 20/70 (29%) in the ST111BL999 group, versus placebo odds ratios of 0.17 (95% CI 0.08-0.35; P < .001) and 0.16 (95% CI 0.08-0.35; P < .001), respectively. Chronically persistent eczema was also reduced, with odds ratios of 0.30 (95% CI 0.12-0.80; P = .016) and 0.17 (95% CI 0.12-0.80; P = .003). Skin prick test positivity was not significantly changed, and no…

Study & population

Randomized, placebo-controlled study in pregnant women with atopic sensitization and either a history of or active allergic disease who intended to breastfeed for at least 2 months.

Intervention

Two maternal probiotic regimens were tested: LPR1BL999, containing Lactobacillus rhamnosus LPR (CGMCC 1.3724) plus Bifidobacterium longum BL999 (ATCC: BAA-999), and ST111BL999, containing Lactobacillus paracasei ST11 (CNCM 1-2116) plus Bifidobacterium longum BL999.

Key limitation

The study was relatively small and conducted at a single center in a Finnish high-risk population, which limits generalizability.

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Original abstract