Research led by the University of Cambridge, published in the Journal of Translational Medicine, has found the first clear evidence that the ‘good’ gut bacteria Bifidobacterium breve in pregnant mothers regulates the placenta’s production of hormones critical for a healthy pregnancy.
In a study in mice, the researchers compared the placentas of mice with no gut bacteria to those of mice with Bifidobacterium breve in their gut during pregnancy. Pregnant mice without Bifidobacterium breve in their gut had a higher rate of complications including foetal growth restriction and foetal low blood sugar and increased foetal loss.
This is the first time scientists have found a link between the gut microbiome and the placenta.