DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences has launched HOWARU Protect Prenatal+, an innovative probiotic formula that has been clinically proven to deliver mood, vaginal, and immune health benefits for women during pregnancy and beyond. DuPont offers a full range of science-based solutions for improved health and wellness under the brand name HOWARU.
 
State-of-the-art clinical studies with probiotic supplementation in pregnant women have provided new insights into the health of both mothers and their infants. Among the significant trials has been the “Probiotics in Pregnancy Study” (BMC Pregnancy Childbirth, 2016), whose primary aim was to assess whether probiotic supplementation in women with Lactobacillus rhamnosus HN001 provided immune benefits for infants. The secondary aims focused on the health of the mothers and the effect HN001 supplementation had on the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and postnatal depression. In this “gold-standard” clinical trial of over 400 pregnant women, daily consumption of L. rhamnosus HN001 by the mother was found to have been associated with a lower prevalence of GDM as well as lower incidence of postnatal depression and anxiety. 
 
Additional clinical trials showed that daily consumption of L. rhamnosus HN001 by the mother and her infant also helped infants develop a balanced immune system function in the first two years and continued to impact immune health through 11 years. 
 
The prevalence of eczema of the children through age 11, the latest time of evaluation, was significantly reduced in the probiotic groups compared to the placebo group. In addition, at ages 6 and 11, there were significant reductions in allergic sensitization scores. 
 
The results also showed mothers who had received the HN001 supplement had improved levels of immune markers in cord blood and breast milk than those in the placebo group, demonstrating immune support for expectant mothers as well.
 
HOWARU Protect Prenatal+, formulated with L. acidophilus La-14 in combination with L. rhamnosus HN001, has also been proven to support healthy vaginal microbiota and also have beneficial effects regarding recurrent bacterial vaginosis and vulvovaginal candidiasis—two of the most common vaginal complaints among women. This demonstrates that this premium probiotic formulation helps provide full-body wellness for expectant mothers and their unborn children. 
 
“At DuPont, we’re focused on improving people’s lives and we’re especially excited to introduce a product that has clinical benefits for such a critical time in life—during pregnancy,” said Anders Gron, DuPont vice president & global business director- Probiotics, HMOs, & Fibers.