Research Highlight: The Supplement That Reduced Miscarriage Risk by 50%

Some supplements really stand out if indicated - and Lactobacillus is one of them!

Lactobacillus is a beneficial bacteria that forms part of our normal flora, living in both the vagina and endometrial cavity. It plays a protective role by producing hydrogen peroxide, bacteriocin, and lactic acid to maintain a vaginal pH below 4.5. This acidic environment helps inhibit the growth of pathogenic organisms, keeping the balance in check.

Emerging research has highlighted just how important this can be. In women with bacterial vaginosis (BV) undergoing IVF, vaginal Lactobacillus pessaries reduced the risk of miscarriage by half. 

In a randomised controlled clinical study, women with BV undergoing frozen embryo transfers were given intravaginal Lactobacillus. Following 5-day blastocyst transfers, the live birth rate was significantly higher (35.7% vs. 22.2%, p = 0.03) and the miscarriage rate was much lower (8.2% vs. 24.3%, p = 0.002) compared with those who did not receive the probiotic intervention (Thanaboonyawat et al., 2023).

The strain used was Lactobacillus acidophilus, which is particularly effective as it produces hydrogen peroxide and organic acids to regulate vaginal pH and is able to adhere to epithelial cells - making it a powerful ally in restoring balance.

The key outtake here? If indicated, vaginal probiotics can significantly reduce miscarriage risk. However, my advice is always to test first and supplement accordingly. BV and other vaginal infections can be identified through testing, and my go-to for this is ScreenMe. 

If you’re not testing, then consider a high-quality, general pregnancy probiotic such as Optibac Pregnancy or Wild Nutrition Pregnancy. These provide broader support for both mum and baby during pregnancy. And as always, you can save 10% at The Natural Dispensary using my code JENWAL10.

This was a small study, but being randomised and controlled, the findings are significant. More research will certainly follow, but for now, this is a powerful reminder that when used appropriately, probiotics can be an essential part of fertility and pregnancy care.