Description: Foetal development in humans is assumed to proceed in a sterile environment. Reports on bacteria detected in maternal fluids during pregnancy are typically associated with adverse consequences, and whether the female reproductive track harbour distinct microbial communities beyond the vagina has been a matter of debate. Here we performed systematic microbiota sampling within the female reproductive tract in 110 women of reproductive age, and examined the nature of colonization by bacterial sequencing and cultivation. The analysis uncovered distinct communities of microbes in the cervical canal, the uterus, the fallopian tubes, and the peritoneal fluid, differing from that of the vagina. Importantly, the results reflected an anatomical microbiota continuum along the female reproductive tract representative of a non-sterile environment. We also identified microbial taxa and potential functions that correlated with the menstrual cycle or were over-represented in subjects with adenomyosis or infertility due to endometriosis. The study presents detailed insight into the nature of the vagino-uterine microbiome, and suggests the microbiota in the upper reproductive tract as a target for improving female reproductive health. The study further holds new possibilities for detection of common diseases in the upper reproductive tract by surveying the vaginal or cervical microbiota.

Data type: Other

Sample scope: Monoisolate

Last updated: 2017-08-22