Probiotic Lactobacillus kefiri prevents endotoxin-induced preterm birth and stillbirth in mice.

Preterm birth (PTB), defined as birth occurring before 37 weeks of pregnancy, affects 5-18% of pregnancies and is the leading cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality worldwide. Although PTB is considered a syndrome, infection-induced inflammation accounts for up to 50% of all cases. Despite the effort to reduce the incidence of PTB, it continues to rise worldwide and current approaches for preventing or treating PTB are largely unsatisfactory.