Abstract
Infertility has become a common problem in recent decades. The pathogenesis of infertility is variable, but microbiological factors account for a large proportion of it. Dysbiosis of vaginal microbiota is reportedly associated with female infertility, but the influence of normal vaginal microbiota on infertility is unclear. In this review, we summarize the physiological characteristics of the vaginal tract and vaginal microbiota communities. We mainly focus on the bacterial adherence of vaginal Lactobacillus species. Given that the adherent effect plays a crucial role in the colonization of bacteria, we hypothesize that the adherent effect of vaginal Lactobacillus may also influence the fertility of the host. We also analyze the agglutination and immobilization effects of other bacteria, especially Escherichia coli, on ejaculated spermatozoa, and speculate on the possible effects of normal vaginal microbiota on female fertility.
Highlights
Infertility has become a common problem in recent decades
The pH level of the vaginal cavity maintains a dynamic stability throughout the reproductive age, and accumulation of lactic acid released by Lactobacillus species plays a major role on the acidification process
Semen from infertile patients had no significant differences in community state types (CSTs) compared with normal samples, which indicates that the probiotic effect of Lactobacillus in semen quality is limited (Hou et al, 2013)
Summary
Infertility has become a common problem in recent decades. Microbiological factors account for a large proportion of infertility, but attention has mainly focused on pathogenesis and infection caused by pathogens. Vaginal microbiota plays a role in female infertility. Dysbiosis of the vaginal microbiota or invasion of pathogens can impair the fertility of humans by directly decreasing the motility and vitality of spermatozoa (Monga and Roberts, 1994; Sellami et al, 2014), or indirectly by inducing organic injuries of the reproductive system. Evidence has shown that vaginal Lactobacillus play an essential role in preventing the invasion of foreign bacteria and dysbiosis of intrinsic microbiota, but its effect on ejaculated spermatozoa has been rarely reported. The same adherent effect may modulate the chemical and physical properties of ejaculated spermatozoa. Lactobacillus in Female Infertility account for some cases of unexplained infertility and provide a unique sperm selection mechanism for the human body
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