Fertility factors affect the vaginal microbiome in women of reproductive age

Abstract

Problem For women of reproductive age, achieving a successful pregnancy requires both the normal functioning of reproductive endocrine and the health of the reproductive tract environment. We aimed to study how these fertility factors, such as female age, baseline sexual hormone levels, tubal patency, and vaginal pH, affect the composition of vaginal microbiome. Method of study The 16S rRNA sequencing was carried on vaginal microbiome samples from 85 women of reproductive age without vaginal infections or reproductive endocrine diseases. The detailed correlations between fertility factors and vaginal microbiome were quantified by Spearman's rank tests. A linear discriminant analysis was carried out to explore the effects of fertility factors on the relative abundances of vaginal bacterial species. Results The vaginal pH, levels of basal E2, LH, and FSH all had significant effects on the distribution of vaginal microbiome. The relative abundances of vaginal bacterial species, including Escherichia coli, Streptococcus agalactiae, and Prevotella intermedia, were significantly different due to the host's state of reproductive endocrine and tubal patency. It was worth noting that women with tubal obstruction, or prolonged menstrual cycle, or antral follicle count >15, or vaginal pH > 4.5 all had a higher abundance of Escherichia coli in vagina. Conclusion The fertility factors associated with the reproductive endocrine and the genital tract environment affected vaginal microbiome in women of reproductive age. The species Escherichia coli, Streptococcus agalactiae, Prevotella intermedia, etc could be used as biomarkers to reflect the pathological state of reproductive endocrine and genital tract.

Longitudinal Profiling of the Macaque Vaginal Microbiome Reveals Similarities to Diverse Human Vaginal Communities

“…Animals in group 1 received seven daily applications of a sucrose gel vaginally, while animals in group 2 received seven daily applications of the gel alone. Since hormonal levels can influence VM composition ( 24 , 26 , 27 ), animals were administered an oral contraceptive for 21 days (1 month prior to sucrose treatment) to synchronize the menstrual cycles of the animals ( Fig. 1A ).…”

Metagenomics Analysis of Race and Age influence on the Vaginal Microbiome in Pregnant and Non-pregnant Healthy Women

“…It was suggested that this bacterium was more commonly found in the vagina of younger women or women with normal ovarian function. Meanwhile, the relative abundances of genera Varibaculum, Streptococcus, and Veillonella were positively related to age, indicating that the colonization of these bacteria in the vagina may increase with female age [33]. In another study Nasioudis et, al. mentioned that there are no statistically signi cant associations between the relative abundance of any bacterial taxa and maternal age, gestational age at birth, or neonatal gender [34].…”

The vaginal microbiota in the course of bacterial vaginosis treatment

“…It has previously been reported that host genetics, ethnicity, hormonal stage (e.g. menstruation cycle, menopause, pregnancy), sexual behaviour, and hygiene practices, amongst others factors, influence vaginal microbiota composition [17][18][19][20][21].…”