Big effect
Infants whose mothers took a probiotic during late pregnancy and breastfeeding had fewer than half as many sick days in their first month — 4.7 versus 10.5 days.
This is a single randomized trial on a specific Bifidobacterium breve strain, and while the effect size is striking, it hasn’t been independently replicated — treat it as a promising lead, not a settled fact.
In a double-blind placebo-controlled study, mothers who supplemented with Bifidobacterium breve Rosell-70 from late pregnancy through breastfeeding had infants with fewer days of infections during the first month of life — 4.7 days on average compared to 10.5 days in the placebo group. The same study also found that the probiotic reduced maternal and infant infections overall and shifted the infant gut microbiome toward more beneficial bacteria, especially in babies born via C-section. However, because this is one of the first trials on this specific probiotic strain, the results need to be confirmed before drawing firm conclusions.
Where this fits in the evidence
This is among the first studies we've indexed on Bifidobacterium breve Rosell-70 for Reduced Respiratory Infections in Infants — treat it as an early signal until more research accumulates.
The study
- Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT)
- 2025-05-28
- Nutrients
- PubMed: 40507094
- DOI: 10.3390/nu17111825
- Full study breakdown →
This is a plain-language summary of a research finding, not medical advice. Pillser surfaces research signals to help you decide what's worth investigating — always consult a qualified professional before changing what you take.