Endometrial microbiota composition is associated with reproductive outcome in infertile patients

• Published in: Microbiome Vol. 10; no. 1; p. 1
• Main Authors: Moreno, Inmaculada, Garcia-Grau, Iolanda, Perez-Villaroya, David, Gonzalez-Monfort, Marta, Bahçeci, Mustafa, Barrionuevo, Marcelo J, Taguchi, Sagiri, Puente, Elena, Dimattina, Michael, Lim, Mei Wei, Meneghini, Georgina, Aubuchon, Mira, Leondires, Mark, Izquierdo, Alexandra, Perez-Olgiati, Martina, Chavez, Alejandro, Seethram, Ken, Bau, Davide, Gomez, Carlos, Valbuena, Diana, Vilella, Felipe, Simon, Carlos
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central 04.01.2022; BMC
• Subjects: Bacteria; Biopsy; Catheters; Cervix; Dysbiosis - microbiology; Embryo Transfer; Embryos; Endometrium; Female; Hormone replacement therapy; Humans; Live Birth; Microbiomes; Microbiota; Microbiota - genetics; Miscarriage; Patients; Pregnancy; Reproduction; Reproductive system; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S - genetics; rRNA 16S; Sample size; Streptococcus infections; Vagina; United States > US
• ISSN: 2049-2618; 2049-2618
• DOI: 10.1186/s40168-021-01184-w

Previous evidence indicates associations between the female reproductive tract microbiome composition and reproductive outcome in infertile patients undergoing assisted reproduction. We aimed to determine whether the endometrial microbiota composition is associated with reproductive outcomes of live birth, biochemical pregnancy, clinical miscarriage or no pregnancy. Here, we present a multicentre prospective observational study using 16S rRNA gene sequencing to analyse endometrial fluid and biopsy samples before embryo transfer in a cohort of 342 infertile patients asymptomatic for infection undergoing assisted reproductive treatments. A dysbiotic endometrial microbiota profile composed of Atopobium, Bifidobacterium, Chryseobacterium, Gardnerella, Haemophilus, Klebsiella, Neisseria, Staphylococcus and Streptococcus was associated with unsuccessful outcomes. In contrast, Lactobacillus was consistently enriched in patients with live birth outcomes. Our findings indicate that endometrial microbiota composition before embryo transfer is a useful biomarker to predict reproductive outcome, offering an opportunity to further improve diagnosis and treatment strategies. Video Abstract.