ProBioBaby: The Probiotic Mineral Oil Administered to Infants via Infused Pacifiers for the Development of a Healthy Immune System

Student: Luisa Mayorga, 2018-2019

Studies of the human microbiome indicate that children born Cesarean lack diversity in their microbial population, which is necessary to form a proper immune system. This lack of microbial diversity results in an increased risk for the development of chronic disorders such as leukemia, asthma, and immune deficiencies. These risks are of growing concern because according to a 2017 Consumer Reports study about 1 in 3 American children are born via Cesarean. To help reduce the risk of children developing these chronic disorders, I propose ProBioBaby, a probiotic infused pacifier. Probiotics can be used to facilitate the development of a diverse and healthy microbiome by providing the bacterial strains necessary for infants to develop a strong immune system. The integration of probiotics in an infant’s lifestyle could reduce symptoms and potentially delay the onset of such immune deficiencies.