Semen metagenomics and spent culture media
in patients undergoing conventional in vitro fertilisation: abridged secondary publication
MBW Leung1, DYL Chan1, EKL Fok2, HCH Yim3, X Jiang3, TC Li1
1 Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
2 School of Biomedical Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
3 Microbiome Research Centre, The University of New South Wales, Australia
- Vertical transmission of microbes was identified in 82.5% of spent embryo culture medium samples; semen was the primary source of contamination.
- Increased abundances of Staphylococcus and Streptococcus anginosus were associated with reduced sperm count and total motility, respectively.
- Microbiomes in spent embryo culture medium and seminal fluid were not associated with assisted reproductive technology treatment outcomes including fertilisation rates, embryo development, number of available embryos, clinical pregnancy rates, miscarriage rates, and live birth rates.