Microbiome of the uterus in women with unsuccessful in vitro fertilization attempts

Abstract

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the peculiarities of the uterine microbiome in the case of infertility and repeated in vitro fertilization (IVF) failures. Accordingly, the microbiome of the uteri of 22 women with 2 or more IVF failures (first group) and 20 healthy women (second group) was analyzed in this study. Materials and Methods: The samples of uterine microbiomes were collected 7 days after the luteinizing hormone elevation, which was determined by the urine test. All measures were taken to avoid sample contamination. Finally, the massively parallel sequencing of the 16S ribosomal RNA gene was done in every uterine sample. Results: The analysis of the mean relative abundance of various microorganisms in the uterine microbiome showed that women with infertility had higher microbiological diversity and variability compared to healthy women. Eventually, the mean relative abundance of the Lactobacillus genus comprised 34.4% and 63.0% in the first and second groups, respectively. Conclusion: In general, the presence of Lactobacillus in the uterine microbiome could be considered a favorable factor for good reproductive outcomes and successful IVF programs.