Endometrial microbiota - do they mean more than we have expected?

Ginekol Pol. 2020;91(1):45-48. doi: 10.5603/GP.2020.0010.

Abstract

Low biomass microbiome has an increasing importance in today's fertility studies. There are more and more indications for incorporating upper gynecological tract microbiome content in patients diagnostic and in vitro fertilization process, as doing so may help to evaluate chances for a positive outcome. An abnormal endometrial microbiota has been associated with implantation failure, pregnancy loss, and other gynecological and obstetrical conditions. Furthermore it has been shown, that using molecular methods in addition to routine diagnostics may help diagnose chronic endometritis or even indicate cancerogenic changes. Understanding the significance of microbiome in endometrium may completely change therapeutic approach in treatment of this part of reproductive tract. Next generation sequencing (NGS) has allowed to isolate culturable and unculturable bacteria from female reproductive tract and is a cheaper and quicker alternative for other widely known and used methods.

Keywords: endometrium; microbiota; next generation sequencing; reproductive health.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Endometritis / complications*
  • Endometritis / microbiology*
  • Endometrium / microbiology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Infertility, Female / etiology*
  • Infertility, Female / microbiology*
  • Microbiota*