Pregnancy

Recommended use

Food supplement suitable for pregnant women from conception through to birth and for breastfeeding and non-breastfeeding women post birth with the following recommendations:

• Take 1 capsule daily, preferably with breakfast.
• For those unable to swallow capsules, open and mix contents with a cool drink / food.
• Do not exceed recommended daily dosage.
• May be taken on an ongoing basis or as professionally directed.
• For best results use daily.

Supporting Information

Morning sickness and/or nausea is a common symptom in pregnancy and therefore pregnant women often prefer taking supplements in the form of capsules. To make taking Pregnancy capsules as easy as possible, we recommend tilting the head forward to swallow the capsule. Details below:

• When swallowing tablets, it’s common to put the tablet in your mouth, drink some water and knock the head back to swallow it (i.e. look up before swallowing). Doing this uses the weight of the tablet to move it to the back of the throat and makes it easier to swallow successfully.
• With a capsule, however, this won’t work because of the air in the capsule. Instead, while the capsule and water are in the mouth, we recommend to look down before swallowing. This will buoy the capsule to the top of the water (back of the throat) and make it easier to swallow, particularly if morning sickness and/or nausea are a problem for the individual.

Storage instructions

• For best results, do not remove desiccant sachet from the glass jar and close lid firmly after each use.
• Store in a cool, dry place below 25°C and out of direct sunlight. For maximum potency, can be refrigerated after opening.

Safety

Live cultures are not recommended for those with serious medical conditions e.g. those who are severely immunosuppressed, have pancreatitis, are in the ICU, have melaena, have a central venous catheter, short bowel syndrome, or patients with open wounds following major surgery; unless under a doctor's care. Keep out of reach of children.

This is a food supplement and is not intended to prevent, treat or diagnose any medical conditions. Probiotic supplements should not be used as a substitute for a healthy diet and lifestyle. If you are taking any medications or have a serious medical condition, consult a doctor before use. Optibac supplements will not cause dependency and may be used on an ongoing basis.

Customer Questions

All questions answered by probiotic experts Dr. Kate Stephens PhD (Food and Microbial Sciences) BSc(Hons) Medical Microbiology and Kerry Beeson BSc (Nutritional Medicine) Nutritional Therapist.

Should you take friendly bacteria in pregnancy?

Expectant mums may worry whether it's safe to take live cultures during pregnancy, especially as some other natural health supplements are not recommended at this time. However, Pregnancy contains friendly bacteria strains which have been clinically trialled in pregnant and breastfeeding mothers and shown to be safe¹, so it's particularly suitable for use in pregnancy and early motherhood.

How does this supplement differ to other live cultures supplements for pregnancy?

Pregnancy contains specific strains of friendly bacteria which have extensive research to support their use all the way from conception, throughout pregnancy and into early motherhood². Other brands often use the same strains of live cultures in all of their supplements, and simply add other ingredients to differentiate how they can be used. Unlike other brands, Pregnancy contains live cultures which have been researched during pregnancy, so there's no need for any added ingredients. However, should you wish to take other prenatal supplements and vitamins, then it is fine to take your Pregnancy supplement alongside these.

What are FOS fibres?

FOS stands for Fructo-oligosaccharides and is a type of non-digestible carbohydrate. This means that it is not able to be broken down in the small intestines, and instead enters the large intestine where it is fermented by the good bacteria living there.

References

1. Dekker J et al. (2009). Safety aspects of probiotic bacterial strains Lactobacillus rhamnosus HN001 and Bifidobacterium animalis subs. lactis HN019 in human infants aged 0-2. International Dairy Journal, 149-154.
2. Wickens K et al. (2017). Early pregnancy probiotic supplementation with Lactobacillus rhamnosus HN001 may reduce the prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus: a randomised controlled trial. British Journal of Nutrition, 117, 804-813.

Ingredients

Live cultures: Lactobacillus rhamnosus HN001, Lactobacillus acidophilus La-14^®, Bifidobacterium lactis HN019; corn starch; vegetarian capsule: hydroxypropyl methylcellulose; Fructooligosaccharides (FOS 30mg); anti-caking agent: vegetable magnesium stearate

Suitability

• Vegan
• No dairy
• Gluten free
• Suitable in pregnancy
• Suitable for breastfeeding
• Soy free
• Yeast free
• GMO free
• Free from artificial flavourings, colourings and preservatives
• No chemicals or parabens

Following the taxonomic updates advised by a global team of scientists and published in April 2020, a reclassification has been proposed for the Lactobacillus rhamnosus species. The L. rhamnosus strain in Pregnancy may therefore now also be known as Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus HN001.

Customer reviews

• I started taking these midway through my pregnancy and have continued - baby is 4 months now. In my previous pregnancies I struggled. I did get the bifido and fibre supplement to use alongside these and that helped with that side of things.

  Anna Hughes - 7th March 2022

• I really suffered in my first pregnancy with bloating and nausea when taking other tablets. Since taking these with my second pregnancy I have noticed a considerable difference. Would highly recommend.

  Kirsty Roberts - 20th October 2021

• I am in my third trimester and was really struggling with indigestion, bloating and gas. I was recommended these by a friend and I am no longer feeling uncomfortable. I have also noticed energy levels have increased as I was starting to get lethargic. I also love the fact that these probiotics are aiding my babies immune system too, especially during the uncertainty of the pandemic we are in.

  Harriet Gray - 10th September 2021

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UK DELIVERY

Free UK Delivery over £40 

Free standard UK delivery is automatically applied at the checkout when you spend £40.

Standard 2nd class: £2.50

Allow 4-10 working days (Monday - Friday) for delivery; no deliveries on Saturdays

1st class (Tracked): £3.95

Allow 1-3 working days (Monday - Friday) for delivery; no deliveries on Saturdays

Express Next Day (Tracked): £6.95

Order before 2pm for guaranteed next working day delivery to most of the UK*. Orders placed on Friday will be delivered on Monday (next working day). Requires signature.
*Express delivery may exclude the Channel Islands, Herm Island, Isle of Man, Isle of Wight, Northern Irish postcodes BT18 & upwards, Sark, Scottish borders and offshore and a small number of remote mainland destinations as determined by our delivery courier. 

Good to know

• We'll send you an email to confirm once your parcel has been dispatched.
• For delivery queries, please call us on +44 (0)1264 339 770 or email enquiries@optibacprobiotics.com. 
• Orders placed before 2pm will be dispatched on the same working day.
• Delivery within the UK and Northern Ireland has a fixed price, regardless of the size and weight of your order. 
• Delivery times are estimates and not guaranteed unless otherwise stated.

International Delivery

We offer an excellent worldwide delivery service. For more details, please take a look at our delivery FAQ.