new familyResearch appearing in the Journal of Perinatology (33, 40-44 doi:10.1038/jp.2012.37) looked at probiotic supplementation in infants with low birth weight. The subjects of the double-blind, placebo-controlled study were 31 low-weight infants. Postprandial (after meal) increase in time-averaged mean velocity (a measurement of intestinal blood flow) increased in the group given the probiotic supplements.

A meta-analysis of randomized, controlled studies was published in Epidemiology (May 2012 – Volume 23 – Issue 3 – p 402–414) looked at probiotic supplementation in pregnant women, and in infants shortly after birth, and the relation to the incidence of allergic dermatitis in their infants after birth. A total of 14 studies were included in the analysis. Overall, the studies show that probiotic supplementation was helpful in preventing atopic dermatitis.