Female genital tract microbiome: the influence of probiotics on assisted reproduction

Assisted reproductive technology (ART) has been evolving since 1978, with the number of techniques performed increasing over the years. Despite continued advances, some couples continue to have difficulties getting pregnant, and it has recently been considered that the microbiome of the female genit...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Revista Brasileira de ginecologia e obstetrícia 2024, Vol.46
Main Authors: Santana, Ana Sofia Almeida, Póvoa, Ana Margarida
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Female
Genitalia, Female - microbiology
Humans
Infertility, Female - microbiology
Infertility, Female - therapy
Microbiota
Pregnancy
Probiotics - therapeutic use
Reproductive Techniques, Assisted
Review
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Assisted reproductive technology (ART) has been evolving since 1978, with the number of techniques performed increasing over the years. Despite continued advances, some couples continue to have difficulties getting pregnant, and it has recently been considered that the microbiome of the female genital tract (FGT) may influence embryo implantation and the establishment of pregnancy. This review aims to evaluate the role of probiotics on reproductive outcomes in infertile women on ART. A search throughout medical databases was performed, and six articles met the criteria. Five studies showed improvements in pregnancy rates, with only one demonstrating statistical significance. One article showed no improvement but reported a statistically significant reduction in the miscarriage rate in the probiotic group. Further research is needed to evaluate the true potential of probiotics, namely to assess whether they effectively modulate the FGT microbiome and if these changes are maintained over time.
ISSN:1806-9339
0100-7203
1806-9339
DOI:10.61622/rbgo/2024rbgo82