Abstract
PURPOSE: Chronic endometritis (CE) is an infectious and inflammatory disorder associated with infertility of unknown etiology, repeated implantation failure, and recurrent pregnancy loss. In the current clinical practice, intrauterine interventions such as endometrial biopsy/histopathologic examinations and/or hysteroscopy are required for the diagnosis of CE. In this study, we analyzed the microbiota in vaginal secretions (VS) as a potential prediction tool for CE in infertile women. METHODS: Using next-generation sequencing analysis, we compared the VS and endometrial fluid (EF) microbiota in infertile women with (n = 20) or without CE (n = 103). RESULTS: The detection rate of Streptococcus and Enterococcus as well as the bacterial abundance of Atopobium and Bifidobacterium in the VS microbiota was significantly lower in the CE group than in the non-CE group. Meanwhile, the detection rate and bacterial abundance of Lactobacillus in the EF and VS microbiota were at similar levels between the two groups. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that VS microbiota in infertile women with CE is characterized by the reduction in Bifidobacterium and lactic-acid-producing bacteria other than Lactobacillus. Our results hold promise for the prediction of CE, not by somewhat interventional intrauterine procedures, but by less invasive VS sampling. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: UMIN000029449 (registration date 6 October 2017).