Vaginal Microbiota Transplantation: The Next Frontier

DeLong, Kevin; Zulfiqar, Fareeha; Hoffmann, Diane E.; Tarzian, Anita J.; Ensign, Laura M.

doi:10.1177/1073110519897731

Cited by 23 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 72 publications

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“…New promising strategies to improve ART outcomes or to manage gynaecological disorders related to FGT microbiome, such as vaginal microbiome transplantation [89,138] and algorithm design for FGT microbial profile stratification [129] are currently under development.…”

Section: Fgt Microbiome Modulation In Clinical Activity Might Help To Improve Reproductive Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The impact of the female genital tract microbiome in women health and reproduction: a review

Punzón-Jiménez

Labarta

2021

J Assist Reprod Genet

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Purpose The aim of this review is to gather the available research focusing on female genital tract (FGT) microbiome. Research question focuses in decipher which is the role of FGT microbiota in eubiosis, assisted reproduction techniques (ARTs), and gynaecological disorders, and how microbiome could be utilised to improve reproduction outcomes and to treat fertility issues. Methods PubMed was searched for articles in English from January 2004 to April 2021 for "genital tract microbiota and reproduction", "endometrial microbiome", "microbiome and reproduction" and "microbiota and infertility". Manual search of the references within the resulting articles was performed. Results Current knowledge confirms predominance of Lactobacillus species, both in vagina and endometrium, whereas higher variability of species is both found in fallopian tubes and ovaries. Microbial signature linked to different disorders such endometriosis, bacterial vaginosis, and gynaecological cancers are described. Broadly, low variability of species and Lactobacillus abundance within the FGT is associated with better reproductive and ART outcomes. Conclusion Further research regarding FGT microbiome configuration needs to be done in order to establish a more precise link between microbiota and eubiosis or dysbiosis. Detection of bacterial species related with poor reproductive outcomes, infertility or gynaecological diseases could shape new tools for their diagnosis and treatment, as well as resources to assess the pregnancy prognosis based on endometrial microbiota. Data available suggest future research protocols should be standardised, and it needs to include the interplay among microbiome, virome and mycobiome, and the effect of antibiotics or probiotics on the microbiome shifts.

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Section: Fgt Microbiome Modulation In Clinical Activity Might Help To Improve Reproductive Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The impact of the female genital tract microbiome in women health and reproduction: a review

Punzón-Jiménez

Labarta

2021

J Assist Reprod Genet

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“…In this sense, next-generation probiotics (NGP) have been extensively characterized regarding their physiological interaction with the host [75,76]; therefore, new clinical studies with NGP might better modulate reproductive dysbiosis. Another innovative therapeutic method for reproductive site microbiota modulation could be vaginal microbiota transplantation (VMT) [77][78][79]. This method opens the door to a BV treatment that requires more research to advance it from conceptual analysis to clinical application.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Vaginal Probiotics for Reproductive Health and Related Dysbiosis: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

López‐Moreno

Aguilera

2021

JCM

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The use of probiotics in reproductive-related dysbiosis is an area of continuous progress due to the growing interest from clinicians and patients suffering from recurrent reproductive microbiota disorders. An imbalance in the natural colonization sites related to reproductive health—vaginal, cervicovaginal, endometrial, and pregnancy-related altered microbiota—could play a decisive role in reproductive outcomes. Oral and vaginal administrations are in continuous discussion regarding the clinical effects pursued, but the oral route is used and studied more often despite the need for further transference to the colonization site. The aim of the present review was to retrieve the standardized protocols of vaginal probiotics commonly used for investigating their microbiota modulation capacities. Most of the studies selected focused on treating bacterial vaginosis (BV) as the most common dysbiosis; a few studies focused on vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) and on pretreatment during in vitro fertilization (IVF). Vaginal probiotic doses administered were similar to oral probiotics protocols, ranging from ≥107 CFU/day to 2.5 × 1010 CFU/day, but were highly variable regarding the treatment duration timing. Moderate vaginal microbiota modulation was achieved; the relative abundance of abnormal microbiota decreased and Lactobacillus species increased.

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“…A new area of microbial transplants is arising-vaginal microbiota transplants (VMT), which is opening new frontiers for reproductive health [159]. VMT involves the transfer of cervicovaginal fluid from a 'healthy' donor to a patient who aims to restore the most beneficial microenvironment.…”

Section: Microbial Transplantsmentioning

confidence: 99%

New Opportunities for Endometrial Health by Modifying Uterine Microbial Composition: Present or Future?

et al. 2020

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Current knowledge suggests that the uterus harbours its own microbiota, where the microbes could influence the uterine functions in health and disease; however, the core uterine microbial composition and the host-microbial relationships remain to be fully elucidated. Different studies are indicating, based on next-generation sequencing techniques, that microbial dysbiosis could be associated with several gynaecological disorders, such as endometriosis, chronic endometritis, dysfunctional menstrual bleeding, endometrial cancer, and infertility. Treatments using antibiotics and probiotics and/or prebiotics for endometrial microbial dysbiosis are being applied. Nevertheless there is no unified protocol for assessing the endometrial dysbiosis and no optimal treatment protocol for the established dysbiosis. With this review we outline the microbes (mostly bacteria) identified in the endometrial microbiome studies, the current treatments offered for bacterial dysbiosis in the clinical setting, and the future possibilities such as pro- and prebiotics and microbial transplants for modifying uterine microbial composition.

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Vaginal Microbiota Transplantation: The Next Frontier

Cited by 23 publications

References 72 publications

The impact of the female genital tract microbiome in women health and reproduction: a review

The impact of the female genital tract microbiome in women health and reproduction: a review

Vaginal Probiotics for Reproductive Health and Related Dysbiosis: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

New Opportunities for Endometrial Health by Modifying Uterine Microbial Composition: Present or Future?

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