Probiotics and Metabolic Outcomes of Gestational Diabetes: A Review Article

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is the most common metabolic complication of pregnancy. Compared with individuals without diabetes, women with GDM, in absence of intervention, are at higher risk of adverse maternal and fetal outcomes. The recent and unexpected increase in the prevalence of GDM and the average results of dietary interventions could partly be due to inattention or failure in modifying the new composition and inappropriate intestinal micro flora which occurs often in the second half of pregnancy particularly when accompanied by obesity. In the spectrum of lifestyle-related factors, probiotics are proposed as part of a balanced diet, affordable, practical and potentially effective approach to this health problem. The purpose of this narrative review paper was to review previous studies according to the importance of probiotics and their role in prevention and treatment of GDM. Electronic search was done in databases, including Scopus, Science direct, PubMed, Cochrane central, Google Scholar, ISC, Magiran, IranMedex, SID, and MedLib. Evidence suggest that manipulation of microbiota in gut during pregnancy by selected probiotics in women at risk of or affected by GDM, can probably be of great benefit in improving the metabolic profile of mother and pregnancy results.