The Role of Vaginal Microbiota Dysbiosis and Inflammation in Reproduction and Pregnancy Outcomes

Abstract

The human vagina harbors various types of microorganisms, and the normal female vaginal microbiota is in a dynamic balance ecosystem, with Lactobacillus as the predominant organism. Vaginal microbiota dysbiosis is influenced by disordered hormone regulation, autoimmune imbalance, and pathogen invasion. This dysbiosis not only adversely affects womens health and fertility but also has a negative impact on the development of babies during pregnancy, especially in terms of inflammatory responses and complications. The inflammatory response within the vagina is the first to reflect vaginal microbiota dysbiosis. Therefore, understanding the mechanisms by which host inflammatory responses triggered by changes in the microbiota lead to disease progression is critical for prevention and treatment strategies. In this review, we conducted a search of the PubMed electronic databases for studies published before August 2023 with keywords “vaginal microbiota”, “inflammation”, “reproductive”, “fertility”, and “pregnancy”. We also manually searched relevant references from retrieved manuscripts and review articles. We aim to summarize the research focused on inflammation and complications induced by dysbiosis of the vaginal microbiota and the impact on female fertility and pregnancy outcomes.