The Association between Infertility and Helicobacter pylori Infection: a Meta-Analysis of Case-control Studies

Abstract

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is increasingly associated with extra-digestive diseases. Infertility is a common condition, with an incidence of 10 to 15% of couples. Studies examining the association of H. pylori infection and infertility have reported conflicting results. This meta-analysis aimed to investigate the association between H. pylori infection and infertility. Studies of H. pylori infection and infertility were identified in PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure. We performed a meta-analysis of all case-control studies. Seven studies that analyzed the relationship between H. pylori infection and infertility, with a combined study population of 1,902 patients, were included in the meta-analysis (n = 626 for patients; n = 1,276 for controls). In the infertility group, 344 (54.9%) patients were H. pylori-positive, and 495 (38.8%) were H. pylori-positive in the control group. Our result suggested that H. pylori infection was associated significantly with infertility (OR = 1.45, 95% CI: 1.197 - 2.160; I2 = 36.5%, Z = 3.15, p = 0.002). Begg's and Egger's funnel plot showed no publication bias (p = 0.807). Our meta-analysis identified a possible association between H. pylori infection and infertility.