Microbes common in a Lactobacillus-deplete microbiota are negatively correlated with lipid metabolite abundance in pregnancy

Abstract

A lipid-deplete cervicovaginal (CV) microenvironment is associated with short cervix, a sonographic marker of premature cervical remodeling and risk factor for spontaneous preterm birth (sPTB). Select CV microbiota have been implicated in cervical remodeling preceding sPTB. Whether lipid metabolites are associated with specific CV microbes remains unknown. We sought to examine correlations between cervicovaginal microbes and lipid metabolites in pregnancy.