Bifidobacterium longum SP54 and Reduced Prevalence of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus

Research synthesisLow evidenceModerate effect4 studies · 3 beneficial · 1 neutral · 0 harmful

Across 4 studies, 3 reported beneficial effects (predominantly moderate-sized) and 1 reported a neutral effect on reducing gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) incidence. The only statistically significant finding came from a 2024 meta-analysis of 14 RCTs showing a moderate reduction in GDM risk (RR 0.71, p=0.03), while an individual RCT found no significant difference. Most studies did not specify dose or form, and the evidence base is small.

Studied populations: pregnant women, particularly those at high risk or overweight/obese

Caveats: Many of the included studies did not reach statistical significance — effect may be smaller than the predominant direction suggests. The highest-quality study (RCT) showed no benefit, while the significant finding is from a meta-analysis; low-quality reviews add limited support. Doses and forms were not reported, precluding dose-response analysis.

Generated Jul 11, 2026

4 of 4 papers

The effect of probiotic supplementation on the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus among high-risk pregnant women: A parallel double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial.
- 2021-09
- RCT · n = 271
- Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie 141
- - Ali Shahriari
  - Elham Karimi
  - Mohammadali Shahriari
  - Neda Aslani
  - Maryam Khooshideh
  - Arman Arab
- PubMed: 34328109
- DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2021.111915
3 Insights on
- Reduced Prevalence of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus
- High evidence
- Large Human Trial
The incidence of GDM in the intervention group was 41.9% which was not significantly different from the control group (40.2%) (P = 0.780).
Effect
Neutral
Effect size
Small
Significant
No
Probiotics for the prevention of gestational diabetes mellitus: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
- 2024-09-06
- Meta-Analysis
- Biomolecules & biomedicine 24(5)
- - Xue Li
  - Luwen Zhang
  - Yuanqi He
  - Dandan Zhang
  - Shihong Zhang
- PubMed: 38642385
- DOI: 10.17305/bb.2024.10377
1 Insight on
- Reduced Prevalence of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus
- High evidence
probiotics significantly reduced the incidence of GDM as compared to control (risk ratio [RR]: 0.71, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.52-0.96, P = 0.03)
Effect
Beneficial
Effect size
Moderate
Significant
Yes
A Review of Modulation of Gut Microbiota to Mitigate Gestational Diabetes: Implications for Maternal and Child Health.
- 2025-08-22
- Review
- Medical science monitor : international medical journal of experimental and clinical research 31
- - Olimpia Mora-Janiszewska
  - Kinga Bialic
  - Anna Faryniak
  - Dorota Darmochwał-Kolarz
- PubMed: 40842120
- DOI: 10.12659/msm.948897
3 Insights on
- Reduced Prevalence of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus
- Low evidence
The aim of this article is to review the role of gut microbiota modulation in preventing and managing gestational diabetes mellitus and the health benefits for mother and child.
Effect
Beneficial
Effect size
Moderate
Probiotics for preventing gestational diabetes in overweight or obese pregnant women: A review.
- 2022-12-26
- Review
- World journal of clinical cases 10(36)
- - Ya-Fang Deng
  - Li-Ping Wu
  - Yan-Ping Liu
- PubMed: 36683622
- DOI: 10.12998/wjcc.v10.i36.13189
2 Insights on
- Reduced Prevalence of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus
- Low evidence
Specific probiotics or probiotic foods may alter gut microbiota in overweight or obese pregnant women and inhibit the expression of inflammatory factors, consequently resulting in weight loss and reduced insulin resistance.
Effect
Beneficial
Effect size
Small

Bifidobacterium longum SP54 and Reduced Prevalence of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus

The effect of probiotic supplementation on the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus among high-risk pregnant women: A parallel double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial.

Probiotics for the prevention of gestational diabetes mellitus: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

A Review of Modulation of Gut Microbiota to Mitigate Gestational Diabetes: Implications for Maternal and Child Health.

Probiotics for preventing gestational diabetes in overweight or obese pregnant women: A review.