Probiotics For Dummies by Shekhar Challa

Author:Shekhar Challa
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Wiley
Published: 2012-04-02T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 7

Using Probiotics in Women’s Health

In This Chapter

Improving health for pregnant women and infants

Promoting vaginal and urinary health

Research on probiotics has yielded some promising results for women’s health. Although probiotics are generally safe — and often beneficial — for everyone, they can be particularly effective in preventing or treating many symptoms and ailments unique to women.

In this chapter, you discover how probiotics can alleviate some of the unpleasant side effects of pregnancy and convey benefits to both the developing fetus and infants. In addition, studies have demonstrated that probiotics can help prevent or treat common “female problems,” such as certain vaginal infections and urinary tract infections.

Probiotics and Pregnancy

Pregnancy generates a host of changes in a woman’s body, and some of the side effects of those changes can be quite unpleasant. However, researchers are providing increasing evidence that probiotics can help alleviate some of the most common digestive and other issues with pregnancy. Some studies also indicate that developing fetuses benefit when pregnant women increase their probiotic intake. And probiotics also may help protect infants against colic, eczema, and other problems.

Studies show that consuming probiotics during pregnancy offers several advantages for mom and baby. Mom

Is 18 percent less likely to deliver a preterm baby.

Loses baby weight faster after delivery.

Is less likely to develop central obesity (belly fat).

Has a 20 percent lower chance of developing gestational diabetes (the presence of high blood sugar during pregnancy that increases the risk of subsequent development of diabetes after pregnancy).

The baby

Has a lower risk of developing a serious condition called necrotizing enterocolitis, or the death of intestinal tissue.

Is 50 percent less likely to get eczema.

Is less likely to develop asthma.

Has a decreased chance of developing childhood obesity and diabetes.

Rebalancing mom’s digestive system

Pregnancy often wreaks havoc with a woman’s digestive system. Heartburn, constipation, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting are common issues, especially during the first trimester.

Hormonal changes, fatigue, and stress upset the balance of good and bad bacteria in the gut (see Chapter 2), so your digestive system doesn’t work as efficiently. Probiotics — consumed through diet or supplements, or both — help restore the proper bacterial balance and digestive function.

Always consult with your physician before adding any supplements, including probiotics, to your diet. Your doctor may have recommendations for specific probiotics to take.

Pregnant women also often suffer from urinary tract infections (see Chapter 6), yeast infections (covered later in this chapter), and skin inflammation — all of which can be prevented or eased by taking probiotics.

Gaining weight after birth

Many women retain “belly fat” after giving birth, and excess belly fat is associated with several serious health issues, including cardiovascular disease.

One study in Finland followed 256 women from the first trimester of their pregnancies to a year after they gave birth. The women were split into three groups: one group received dietary counseling and probiotic supplements, the second group received counseling and a placebo, and the third group received the placebo with no counseling.

A year after

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