The Use of Prebiotics from Pregnancy and Its Complications: Health for Mother and Offspring—A Narrative Review

This narrative review searched PubMed for literature on prebiotics in pregnancy, lactation, and newborn health, including clinical trials, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and other reviews from 2013 onwards. The authors conclude that the pregnant mother's nutritional status is key for newborn microbial colonization and that prebiotics, added to diet or breast milk, are feasible modulators that may help prevent gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, infections, and newborn allergies or colic. The review notes limitations include a paucity of data and that evidence often combines prebiotics with probiotics or broader dietary patterns like the Mediterranean diet, making isolated effects hard to determine. It suggests prebiotics are foundational for probiotic colonization and immune system development but should be part of a healthy dietary context. Implications include recommending integrative nutritional programs during pregnancy for better maternal and child outcomes.