The Effect of Probiotic Supplementation in Intrauterine Sperm Insemination Pregnancy Rate

Abstract

Background: By using probiotic products, such as Lactovag, which contain high amounts of a safe and beneficial bacterial strain, the vaginal microbiome can be near healthy in infertile women, and as a consequence, the reproductive outcomes are improved. Objectives: The present study was done to assess the effect of Lactovag on pregnancy outcomes in IUI cycles. Methods: This single-blind clinical trial was conducted on 194 infertile women who underwent IUI in the infertility clinic of Yas Hospital between December 2021 and March 2022. In the intervention group, two weeks before IUI, Lactovage suppository was prescribed once per night, while in the control group, no extra interventions were done. All the patients underwent IUI in the same way. The primary outcomes of the study were biochemical and clinical pregnancy rates. Results: The average age of women was 30.51 ± 4.6 years, ranging from 22 to 43 years. The average age of the women’s partner was 34.89 ± 4.41 years, ranging from 24 to 49 years. There were no significant differences regards the basic information of the two study groups. The most common infertility cause was polycystic ovary syndrome (40.7%). The biochemical and clinical pregnancy rate was 12.4% in the Lactovage group and 10.3% in the control group. Although the pregnancy rate improved with a Lactovage prescription, this difference was insignificant (P-value = 0.651). Conclusions: While the pregnancy rate in women with probiotic therapy was higher, it was insignificant. Future randomized studies are needed to definitively examine probiotic therapy and establish its benefit in women candidates for IUI.