High blood pressure increases a woman’s chance of having heart disease, but it is also a symptom of a serious complication during pregnancy called preeclampsia. Preeclampsia occurs when women develop high blood pressure and protein in the urine after the 20th week of their pregnancy. Other symptoms include swelling of hands, face or eyes, sudden weight gain over one to two days, and infrequency of urination.

A recent study published by the American Journal of Epidemiology  found that by taking a daily probiotic, pregnant women can reduce the risk of developing preeclampsia. Scientists analyzed more than 30,000 pregnant women who drank milk products with and without a dose of probiotics in the first 13 weeks of their pregnancy. Results have shown that women who took probiotics reduced their risk of developing the disease.

A healthy balance of intestinal bacteria lessens the intestinal inflammation that can lead to disorders like preeclampsia. Probiotics, like EndoMune Advanced, contain billons of bacteria that improve intestinal digestion and immune system function, reducing pregnant women’s risk of complications.