ArticlePloS one2013
Microorganisms within human follicular fluid: effects on IVF.
Article in PloS one, 2013. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 50 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
50 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 5 citations in OpenAlex.
- Reproductive tract and follicular fluid microbiota and probiotic interventions in IVF/ICSI outcomes: a systematic review.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2026Pooled it
- The Microbiome Landscape of Adenomyosis: A Systematic Review.Reproductive sciences (Thousand Oaks, Calif.) · 2025Pooled it
- Associations between microbial presence in follicular fluid with IVF outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Journal of assisted reproduction and genetics · 2023Pooled it
- The Role of Genital Tract Microbiome in Fertility: A Systematic Review.International journal of molecular sciences · 2021Pooled it
- Vaginal Microbiome Profiles and Reproductive Outcomes: Implications for Natural Conception and Assisted Reproduction.Cureus · 2026Review
- Article
- Microbial signatures in follicular fluid and their association with fertilization success.Frontiers in reproductive health · 2026Article
- From Gut to Reproductive Health: Exploring Microbiome Interactions and Future Interventions.Reproductive sciences (Thousand Oaks, Calif.) · 2025Review
- Exploration of the mechanism of PCOS induced by microenvironmental changes in follicular fluid based on 16 S rRNA and metabolomics.Journal of ovarian research · 2025Article
- Discovering a new paradigm: Gut microbiota as a central modulator of sexual health.World journal of gastrointestinal pathophysiology · 2025Review
- Taxonomic Profile of Cultivable Microbiota from Adult Sheep Follicular Fluid and Its Effects on In Vitro Development of Prepubertal Lamb Oocytes.Animals : an open access journal from MDPI · 2025Article
- Article
- Pathogenic mechanisms and therapeutic potential of the microbiome in premature ovarian insufficiency.Frontiers in immunology · 2025Review
- Fundamentals of microbiome-based therapies for reproductive tract inflammatory diseases in domestic animals.Animal reproduction · 2025Review
- Female reproductive tract microbiota varies with MHC profile.Proceedings. Biological sciences · 2024Article
- Review
- Association between follicular fluid bacteria with inflammatory markers of the complete blood count and the outcomes of assisted reproductive technology in women with endometriosis: A case-control study.Health science reports · 2024Article
- Review
- The microbiota: a key regulator of health, productivity, and reproductive success in mammals.Frontiers in microbiology · 2024Review
- Effects of Embryo Microbial Contamination on ART and Neonatal Outcomes.Infection and drug resistance · 2024Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Our previous study reported microorganisms in human follicular fluid. The objective of this study was to test human follicular fluid for the presence of microorganisms and to correlate these findings with the in vitro fertilization (IVF) outcomes. In this study, 263 paired follicular fluids and vaginal swabs were collected from women undergoing IVF cycles, with various causes for infertility, and were cultured to detect microorganisms. The cause of infertility and the IVF outcomes for each woman were correlated with the microorganisms detected within follicular fluid collected at the time of trans-vaginal oocyte retrieval. Microorganisms isolated from follicular fluids were classified as: (1) 'colonizers' if microorganisms were detected within the follicular fluid, but not within the vaginal swab (at the time of oocyte retrieval); or (2) 'contaminants' if microorganisms detected in the vagina at the time of oocyte retrieval were also detected within the follicular fluid. The presence of Lactobacillus spp. in ovarian follicular fluids was associated with embryo maturation and transfer. This study revealed microorganisms in follicular fluid itself and that the presence of particular microorganisms has an adverse affect on IVF outcomes as seen by an overall decrease in embryo transfer rates and pregnancy rates in both fertile and infertile women, and live birth rates in women with idiopathic infertility. Follicular fluid microorganisms are a potential cause of adverse pregnancy outcomes in IVF in both infertile women and in fertile women with infertile male partners.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.