Across studies spanning probiotics, omega‑3s, vitamins and trace minerals, scientists continue investigate how maternal nutrient status—before and during pregnancy—affects measurable outcomes in infants, from weight gain and gut microbiota composition to neurodevelopment and infection risk.
Rather than isolated deficiencies, the emerging science points to interconnected systems, where timing, maternal metabolic health and the microbiome play central roles. While targeted interventions show promise, researchers also highlight persistent gaps in nutrient adequacy and the need for more personalized, evidence‑led strategies to support both mothers and infants through the first 1,000 days and beyond.
Below a look at some of the latest and evolving research into the promise supplement interventions for both mother and child.
Biotic yogurt consumption by overweight mothers may prevent excessive weight gain in children
Overweight or obese mothers who consume biotic yogurt may prevent excessive weight gain in their offspring.
Writing in the journal Frontiers in Nutrition, researchers at the Chinese dairy company Beijing Sanyuan Foods and other institutions in China explored the effects of yogurt enriched with prebiotics and probiotics.
“Maternal overweight/obesity affects subsequent infant weight and gut microbiota development, and maternal yogurt intervention may alter the relative abundance of infant gut microbiota,” they noted.
Their study involved 90 infants of mothers with a pre-pregnancy BMI of at least 25 kg/m2 who consumed yogurt from early pregnancy to three years postpartum. The control groups included 70 infants born to mothers with normal weight and 66 infants born to mothers with a BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2.
While children of overweight and obese mothers supplemented with the yogurt did not have significantly lower weight, the intervention did appear to prevent excessive weight gain and enhance the abundance of beneficial gut microbiota.
“At 0–36 months, significant differences could be observed in gut microbiota composition and the abundance of genera, such as Blautia, Lactobacillus, Veillonella, Fusicatenibacter and Akkermansia, between children of women with overweight/obesity and those of women of normal weight,” the researchers reported. “Yogurt supplementation in women with overweight/obesity during pregnancy augmented the gut microbiota, such as Lactobacillus and Akkermansia, in their children.”
The researchers also noted that a child’s weight is influenced far more by maternal weight gain than the yogurt intervention and that providing yogurt directly to infants and children may be a more effective way to manage their weight.
FrieslandCampina research finds nutrient-dense supplement improves early life growth outcomes
FrieslandCampina’s research on an oral nutrition supplement (ONS) found it significantly improved protein, vitamins, and mineral intake in Malaysian children aged 12 to 36 months who were stunted or at risk.
Stunting, as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO), is the impaired growth and development in children under the age of 5, characterized by low height-for-age. It is a marker of chronic malnutrition, poor health and repeated infection, often occurring within the first 1,000 days of life.
Stunting can affect children throughout life, however early intervention is critical, and it has been shown that children who recover before age 5 can achieve normal cognitive and health outcomes.
“Clinically, the intervention achieved an approximate 38% reduction in stunting prevalence within six months, representing a meaningful shift in nutritional status within this high-burden population,” the team of researchers from Malaysia, the Netherlands and the United States wrote in the journal Nutrients.
Conducted over 180 days, the study demonstrated a 38% reduction in stunting prevalence, with notable gains in height-for-age z-scores and increased macro- and micronutrient intake. The findings highlight the potential of targeted supplementation in addressing childhood growth faltering and nutrient deficiencies, suggesting future research should also consider maternal nutrition.
Early BioGaia probiotic use linked to gut comfort at age 10
A study involving 468 infants born with early functional gastrointestinal disorder (FGID) symptoms revealed a significant correlation between early L. reuteri DSM 17938 supplementation and reduced functional abdominal pain (FAP) at age 10.
Findings, published in the journal Nutrients, showed that in the follow-up of 200 of the participants, only 13.1% of the probiotic group was affected compared to 80.2% in the placebo group, corresponding to an absolute risk reduction of 67.1%, with the strong association remaining after adjustment for baseline covariates.
“If a short course of a targeted probiotic can influence long-term risk of a chronic condition such as FAP, the implications for quality of life and healthcare utilization could be substantial,” the team of Italian researchers wrote.
Despite limitations such as lack of data on diet, stress and potential biases, the findings suggest that early microbial interventions could have long-term benefits on gut health, supporting the idea of microbial programming affecting immune tolerance and gut-brain axis regulation.
Synbiotic formula may support infant growth and protect against pathogens
A study in 313 infants across 18 European centers found that an infant formula supplemented with six human milk oligosaccharides and two probiotics supports healthy growth and enhances gut health by increasing the abundance of beneficial Bifidobacteria and reducing opportunistic pathogens.
“The synbiotic formula promoted the expansion of beneficial Bifidobacteria, especially infant-type species, in all infants, suggesting the formula could contribute toward minimizing the observed gaps in early microbiome development between formula-fed and breastfed infants,” the researchers wrote in Frontiers in Nutrition.
The research, funded by Nestlé, emphasized the importance of maximizing formula benefits for infants who cannot be breastfed, highlighting the critical role of HMOs and beneficial bacteria in early development.
Improved vitamin D status in first weeks of pregnancy linked to nausea
A recent study found that women who improved their vitamin D status from deficient or insufficient to sufficient in early pregnancy were more likely to experience nausea and vomiting compared to those who maintained sufficient levels throughout.
“This study is suggestive of the importance of sufficient maternal vitamin D stores prior to conception,” researchers affiliated with the University of Maryland, National Institutes of Health, University of Pennsylvania and University of Utah wrote in the journal Nutrients. “Sufficient 25(OH)D nutrient stores during the preconception and early gestation period are important and may be an indicator of a more robust implantation/placentation and therefore a healthy pregnancy.”
Conducted as part of the EAGeR trial, the study highlights the importance of adequate preconception and early gestation vitamin D levels, suggesting a link to successful embryo implantation and hormonal changes, particularly increased human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) levels.
The study, supported in by the Intramural Research Program of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development at the National Institutes of Health, called for further research on the association between vitamin D status and nausea in pregnancy across diverse populations.
Maternal zinc status linked to early infancy weight and length outcomes
Research published in Frontiers in Nutrition highlights the impact of maternal zinc levels during pregnancy on infant growth outcomes within the first six months.
A study conducted in China with 291 mother–child pairs showed that infants of zinc-sufficient mothers showed higher weight and length at birth and at six months, though no significant association was found at 12 months.
The study suggests that adequate zinc nutrition during pregnancy supports early infant growth, particularly in the first six months, but calls for larger studies to confirm these findings and explore long-term effects.
Study associates maternal choline with infant intelligence and development
A study from Nantong University in China found a significant association between maternal choline intake during late pregnancy and improved infant development and intelligence scores, although fewer than 2% of mothers had adequate intake.
“As maternal dietary choline intake increased, the neurobehavioral development scores and developmental indices of the offspring also improved,” wrote researchers from Nantong University in China, noting that the observational nature of the study meant that no causal relationship could be inferred.
The research, published in the European Journal of Nutrition, which involved 256 mother-infant pairs, used a food frequency questionnaire to assess dietary choline and evaluated infants’ development at one, three and six months.
Choline, an essential nutrient, is challenging to obtain in sufficient amounts from diet alone, particularly for those following calorie-restricted or plant-based diets. While prenatal supplements can help bridge this gap, many do not contain adequate choline.
Breastmilk may lack essential B vitamins for preterm infants
A study conducted at Haukeland University Hospital in Bergen, Norway cautioned that exclusive breastfeeding may not provide sufficient B vitamins for premature infants with very low birth weight (VLBW), stressing the need for improved nutritional recommendations.
The researchers reported that a group of 64 exclusively breastfed premature infants had lower levels of vitamins B12, B6 and B2 compared to those who were formula fed, despite vitamin supplements. The deficiency in these vitamins, crucial for cellular metabolism and growth, is linked to reduced DNA methylation, potentially leading to metabolic diseases.
“Deficiency of cobalamin, folate, vitamin B6, and vitamin B2 are associated with hypomethylation, and while DNA methylation is essential for viability in human cells, global hypomethylation has a wide spectrum of effects that include genetic, epigenetic and metabolic alterations, and is associated with the occurrence and progression of cancer and metabolic diseases, rendering it important to secure an adequate B vitamin status during growth and development,” the researchers wrote in the journal Nutrients.
As such, the study called for regular monitoring and adequate B vitamin supplementation during early development in these infants.
Omega-3 plus prenatal vitamins may slash preterm birth risk
New research indicates that adding omega-3 supplements to prenatal vitamins may reduce the risk of preterm birth by over 30% and decrease the likelihood of the baby being small for its gestational age.
The research analyzed data from 9,461 individuals in the Nulliparous Mother-to-be cohort study, finding a preterm birth rate of 5% in the omega-3 plus multivitamin group compared to 8.4% in the prenatal-only group. F
Findings align with previous trials, such as the Kansas University DHA Outcomes Study (KUDOS), supporting the benefits of omega-3 supplementation and suggesting significant reductions in early preterm birth and potential cost savings.
“Although the observed reduction in preterm birth exceeds effect sizes reported in prior literature, such as the approximately 11% reduction in meta-analytic evidence, these comparisons should be interpreted with caution, as observational designs may be more strongly influenced by unmeasured confounding and selection bias than randomized trials,” the researchers noted.
The study, published in the journal Frontiers in Nutrition, gathered researchers from Columbia University Irving Medical Center, Indiana University, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, University of Pennsylvania, University of Utah and Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School added.
Study reveals mechanisms impacting maternal health during vitamin D deficiency
A study published in the journal Nutrients identified metabolic alterations associated with vitamin D deficiency (VDD) during early pregnancy, highlighting potential mechanisms affecting maternal lipid metabolism.
The research, which drew from 44 women with VDD in the Zhoushan Pregnant Women Cohort, found 60 metabolites linked to VDD, with changes in benzenoids, organic acids and organic oxygen compounds, suggesting disruptions in aromatic compound metabolism and energy pathways.
“These findings suggest that vitamin D status may exert broader effects beyond classical lipid and energy metabolism pathways, potentially influencing biochemical clearance processes and host–microbiome homeostasis," the researchers wrote. “For example, low vitamin D levels have been linked to downregulated expression and activity of key cytochrome P450 enzymes, which may slow the metabolism of various drugs and organic compounds, leading to their accumulation in the body.”
They suggested this metabolic pathway to infant health warrants further in-depth and systematic investigation.
Arla’s whey protein isolate shows promise for maternal blood sugar management
Arla Foods Ingredients, in collaboration with Aarhus University and the Steno Diabetes Center, conducted research on the effects of Lacprodan ISO.WaterShake whey protein isolate on blood sugar levels in women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).
Around 19.6% of pregnant women experience hyperglycemia during pregnancy, and most of these cases (79.2%) arise from GDM. This can lead to pregnancy and delivery complications and a higher chance of developing type 2 diabetes post pregnancy. For infants, high maternal blood sugar crosses the placenta, causing the baby to produce more insulin, which can increase the risk of birth injury or lead to low blood sugar after birth.
The study, published in Diabetes Care, found that consuming whey protein before meals significantly lowered postprandial blood glucose levels in both women with and without GDM, with reductions of up to 2.0 mmol/L.
While whey protein increased insulin and incretin hormone levels, suggesting it as a promising nutritional strategy for managing maternal blood sugar, the researchers called for further research to assess the long-term effects on insulin-producing beta cells and the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Study expands evidence for probiotics in gut-breast axis
A study published in the journal Beneficial Microbes explored the transmission of a probiotic strain, Streptococcus thermophilus TCI633, isolated from breast milk, from breastfeeding mothers to their infants, indicating microbial transfer via the gut-breast axis.
Conducted by researchers from National Taiwan University Hospital and other institutions in Taiwan, the double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involved 30 mother-infant pairs, showing minor changes in microbiota composition in breast milk and fecal samples following a month of daily TCI633 supplementation by the mothers.
“Results showed minor changes in the microbiota composition of breast milk and fecal samples in the TCI633 group, with a slight increase in S. thermophilus abundance,” the researchers wrote. “Furthermore, TCI633-specific gene fragments were detected in 66.7% of infant fecal samples, suggesting potential microbial transfer and colonization.”
They noted that by modulating the gut environment and influencing host immune responses, S. thermophilus may contribute indirectly to breast tissue homeostasis and bioactive milk composition.
Prenatal probiotic pair may boost immune health for mother and baby
A study by the Rosell Institute for Microbiome and Probiotics by Lallemand found that a combination of two probiotic strains, Rosell-11 and HA-132, during pregnancy may reduce infections in the third trimester and provide immune health benefits to infants.
Conducted in a cohort of 180 pregnant women, the double-blind, placebo-controlled trial showed that probiotic supplementation led to fewer infections and improved gut microbiome establishment, especially in C-section delivered infants. Participants consumed the Prenatis combination of L. rhamnosus and B. bifidum (total 5 billion CFUs per day) for the final 12 weeks of their third trimester and continued to supplement for four to six weeks after birth. Mothers and their children were followed for one year.
“While there was a trend for the reduction in the number of infections in the probiotics group, the significant reduction in the proportion of women presenting infections over the course of the study supports the idea that probiotics were broadly effective and that their benefits were not only experienced by a subset of intervention responders,” the researchers reported.
“This is an interesting finding from a clinical perspective, considering the study’s main objective to test a supplement that confers protection against infections during the last trimester of pregnancy. Women who received probiotics tended to be less susceptible to bacterial vaginosis (BV), the most commonly observed infection, compared to those in the placebo group.”
The babies also benefited from the probiotic supplementation, with shorter durations of infections and greater gut colonization by beneficial bacteria like Bifidobacteria, particularly in infants delivered by C-section.
Too little choline: A disadvantage in Latin America
A study published in Nutrients reported that “an astonishing majority” of women of childbearing age across eight countries in Latin America do not consume enough choline, a nutrient particularly important for fetal development.
The investigation drew upon the epidemiological cross-sectional Latin American Study of Nutrition and Health (ELANS), extracting data for 3,704 women between the ages of 15 and 49 years from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela.
The team of Latin American university researchers set out to assess both choline and essential fatty acid (EFA) intake by identifying food sources, the presence of supplements containing these nutrients and what potential policies would be adequate to address the deficiencies.
“Choline intake is inadequate for most ELANS women,” the study reported. “Achieving the recommended intake through diet alone is challenging, especially when diets are not as diverse as they should be or meet the required quantities. Regarding EFA, the results show adequate and even excessive intakes for the studied population; however, the sources are different from those shown over other regions of the world.”
