Ligilactobacillus salivarius PS2 Supplementation during Pregnancy and Lactation Prevents Mastitis

Title: Ligilactobacillus salivarius PS2 Supplementation during Pregnancy and Lactation Prevents Mastitis

A new study shows that supplementation of the probiotic strain Ligilactobacillus salivarius PS2  during late pregnancy and early lactation is safe and effective in preventing mastitis.

Mastitis is an inflammatory condition of the breast, which may or may not  be accompanied by infection. It affects 10-33% of breastfeeding mothers and is a key barrier to continue breastfeeding.
Symptoms of mastitis are breast pain, breast erythema, breast engorgement not relieved by breastfeeding and temperature >38ºC.

One of the common current practices for treating mastitis is the use of antibiotics. However, this could have health consequences, such as an alteration of the gastrointestinal and human milk microbiota or antibiotic resistance.

A randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled, parallel group, intervention study, investigated the daily oral administration of 1×10⁹ CFU of the probiotic strain L. salivarius PS2 during late pregnancy and early lactation.
328 healthy women intending to breastfeed were included in the study and assigned to the probiotic or the placebo group. The intervention started from the 35th week of pregnancy until week 12 post-partum.
The results of the show that the incidence of mastitis was significantly reduced in the probiotic group with 58% of the women less likely to develop mastitis. In addition, the results suggest that the probiotic group experienced less breast pain and also used less antibiotics.
Finally, no safety concerns with regard to the occurrence of adverse events were reported
In conclusion, oral supplementation of the probiotic strain L. salivarius PS2 during late pregnancy and early lactation was safe and effective in preventing mastitis.

Professor Dr. med. Michael Abou-Dakn, St. Joseph Hospital Berlin, Germany shares his view of these findings: “The prevention of mastitis could greatly contribute to increasing exclusive breastfeeding rates around the world. Next to educating and counselling mothers about managing breast fullness and breast engorgement, adequate rest and good hand and breast pump hygiene, new strategies like the use of probiotics can also contribute to preventing mastitis.

 Professor Juan Miguel Rodriguez, Universidad Complutense de Madrid comments: “This randomized, double-blind trial shows the efficacy of the probiotic strain L. salivarius PS2 in reducing the risk of mastitis. It reinforces that probiotic supplementation for mothers can be a promising complementary strategy to support or extend breastfeeding.”

Read the full publication here: Microorganisms | Free Full-Text | Ligilactobacillus salivarius PS2 Supplementation during Pregnancy and Lactation Prevents Mastitis: A Randomised Controlled Trial (mdpi.com)

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