You may have heard about microbiome, but did you know there could be a link between microbiome and fertility? In this blog we’ll take a look at what exactly microbiome is and discover the reason it could impact your chances of conception.
So, what is a microbiome?
Your body is full of trillions of bacteria, viruses and fungi which are collectively known as the microbiome. In fact, there are more bacterial cells in your body than human cells! While some bacteria are associated with diseases, others are actually extremely important for your immune system, heart, weight and many other aspects of health including our reproductive health -and your fertility.
Where do those microbes come from? Some of the initial microbes come from our mum’s birth canal during labour. Later on, factors like diet, stress and the drugs we take, such as antibiotics, play a role in shaping our microbiome throughout our lives.
Gut and reproductive tract microbiome
The gut microbiome refers to the organisms living in our large intestine. According to the Human Microbiome Project, around 29% of our microbiome lives in our GI tract, and around 9% in our urogenital sites – organs like our kidneys and bladder and also our reproductive organs.
The interesting thing about the gut microbiome is that it can be totally different from person to person, even twins. This explains why we react differently to the same foods. “When you look at the overall active microbiomes between two healthy people, even if they are living in the same city, you see a tremendous amount of disagreement in their microbiome,” said Rob Knight, professor at the University of California San Diego and an expert on the human microbiome.
In terms of the reproductive tract microbiome, scientists are learning more and more about it – but it’s still less explored and understood compared to gut microbiome. However, there’s a consensus that the vaginal microbiome, in non-pregnant healthy women, predominantly includes a variety of ‘good microbiome’ called Lactobacillus. These microbes are not only important for women’s health but they also have a role in protecting us against infections and supporting embryo development and growth – so they can have a huge impact on conception and pregnancy.
Microbiome and your fertility
One in seven couples are affected by infertility, with 30-40% of those being related to maternal factors. We know much more about infertility than we used to, but around 35% of couples still have no explanation of the underlying problem. However, closer studies of the microbiome may reveal some answers. An increasing number of studies is highlighting a correlation between infertility and the microbiota and scientists are noticing significant differences in microbiome of a fertile vs infertile women.
A link between subfertility and sexually transmitted infections (eg. Chlamydia) has been established for some time. Similarly, a condition called bacterial vaginosis has been found to be associated with infertility, Recently, scientists have been looking closely into whether the alterations in the “good microbes” are associated with diseases and could in turn affect fertility. Some found links to endometriosis, pelvic inflammatory disease, and even gynecological cancers. New studies are also showing specifically which microbes may be related to infertility eg. Ureaplasma and Gardnerella which were more abundant in the vagina and cervix of women struggling to conceive.
So, could healthy microbiome support conception? The recent studies seem to be supporting the claim, however the underlying mechanisms are still to be fully understood. One theory relates to microbes’ impact on the “cytokine network” – a signalling system that plays a crucial role from conception to implantation and the growth of the embryo.
Assisted Fertility Treatments
Microbiome may also play a key role in the success of assisted fertility treatments. In IVF, successful embryo transfer is dependent upon many factors, including the presence of microbiome of the upper genital tract. Some experts argue that the make up of microbiome in the cervix is one of the most significant factors determining IVF success. The diagram below shows a model that summarises the influence of microbiota on the IVF outcomes – where you can see that the presence of Lactobacillus – the good bacteria – seems to have an impact on where the procedure leads to a successful pregnancy.
Experts working in the field hope that one day we can test women to make sure the microbiota of their reproductive tract is at the optimal composition for pregnancy. This will hopefully lead to a more personalised approach to IVF, and ultimately, more successful pregnancies.
How can I improve my microbiome health?
It’s difficult to offer general advice as microbiome is so individual, but there are tests such as Juno Bio that can help you get acquainted with your vaginal microbiome and help you figure out next steps for improving it! However, in general scientists believe that environmental factors such as stress, nutrition, obesity, chemical toxins, and excessive amounts of alcohol consumption can have a negative affect on our microbiome. There are two main areas of our life that we can change to help optimise our microbiome health:
- Stress management – as with all areas of our health, stress can have a negative impact on the microbiome in your body. This is yet another reason to look after yourself mentally as well as physically before, during and after your fertility journey. Self care is as personal as the makeup of our microbiome, but there are a few things you can do to help reduce stress levels including meditation, journaling and exercise.
- Diet – If you want to improve your microbiome health you want to add fermented foods into your fertility diet plan! Yogurt, pickles, kefir, kombucha are all natural nourishers for your gut, so great additions to your plate! As always – lots of fruit and vegetables should be top of your shopping list and grains are also a great way of improving your overall microbiome health.
Next steps
The reproductive-tract microbiome is still a puzzle we are trying to figure out. There are still many questions about the interactions of our genes with the environment and their effects on our fertility and health. What’s certain is that female reproductive system microbes are worth exploring, not only for improvement in our understanding of women’s health but also for the health of partners and babies.
For more information on microbiome and fertility and to learn how diet and lifestyle can help you on your fertility journey, join our expert-led Parla community.
