Boyle et al,8 2008 | 73 | 36 weeks’ gestation to delivery | Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG | Not reported | None |
Kopp et al,9 2008 | 68 | 4–6 weeks before expected delivery to 6 months after delivery | L rhamnosus GG | No significant difference in gestational age, birth weight, or method of delivery | Selected women with uneventful pregnancies and without underlying chronic disease (ie, diabetes mellitus, rheumatoid arthritis, chronic infectious disease) |
Kukkonen et al,10 2008 | 1223 | 4 weeks before expected delivery | L rhamnosus GG and LC705; Bifidobacterium breve Bb99; and Propionibacterium freudenreichii ssp shermanii JS | No significant difference in birth weight, birth length, and incidence of vaginal delivery | Excluded birth at < 37 weeks’ gestation and infants born with major malformations. Babies also received treatment for 6 months after delivery |
Huurre et al,11 2008 | 140 | First trimester to end of exclusive breastfeeding | L rhamnosus GG and Bifidobacterium lactis Bb12 | No significant difference in gestational age or incidence of cesarean section | Women with chronic or metabolic disease before or during early pregnancy were excluded |
Kuitunen et al,12 2009 | 1223 | 36 weeks’ gestation to delivery | L rhamnosus LC705, B breve Bb99, and P freudenreichii ssp shermanii JS | No significant difference in birth weight | Babies received treatment for 6 months after delivery |
Niers et al,13 2009 | 156 | 6 weeks before expected delivery to delivery | Bifidobacterium bifidum W23 and B lactis W52 | No significant difference in the incidence of cesarean section, birth weight, or prematurity or gestational age | Babies received treatment for 12 months after delivery |
Allen et al,14 2010 | 454 | 36 weeks’ gestation to delivery | Lactobacillus salivarius CUL61 and Lactobacillus paracasei CUL08 | No significant difference in adverse events related to pregnancy or childbirth | Babies received treatment for 6 months after delivery |
Luoto et al,15 2010, | 256 | First trimester to end of exclusive breastfeeding | L rhamnosus GG and B lactis Bb12 | No significant differences in incidence of adverse outcomes; significantly lower birth weight (P = .035) and shorter birth length(P = .028) | None |