Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42158827›Full record

ArticleInternational journal of medical sciences2026

Targeted Vaginal Microbiome Modulation by Postbiotic Intervention Reduces Dysbiosis-Associated Pathogens in Infertile Women: A Pilot Study.

Li-Te Lin, Chia-Jung Li, Pei-Hsuan Lin, Shih-Hsuan Cheng, Emmanuel Naveen Raj, Yu-Chen Chen, Chyi-Uei Chern, Zhi-Hong Wen, Kuan-Hao Tsui

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Article in International journal of medical sciences, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Li-Te LinDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung 813, Taiwan.
Chia-Jung LiDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung 813, Taiwan.
Pei-Hsuan LinDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung 813, Taiwan.
Shih-Hsuan ChengDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung 813, Taiwan.
Emmanuel Naveen RajDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung 813, Taiwan.
Yu-Chen ChenDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung 813, Taiwan.
Chyi-Uei ChernDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung 813, Taiwan.
Zhi-Hong WenDepartment of Marine Biotechnology and Resources, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung 804, Taiwan.
Kuan-Hao TsuiDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung 813, Taiwan.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundVaginal dysbiosis characterized by depleted Lactobacillus populations is associated with impaired fertility outcomes in women undergoing assisted reproduction. Postbiotic interventions delivering antimicrobial peptides without live bacteria may offer targeted microecological modulation while preserving community stability. We investigated the microbial and clinical effects of an eight-week antimicrobial peptide-based postbiotic in infertile women.

methodsFifteen infertile women (mean age 38.7 ± 4.1 years) with ≥ 2 prior

resultsThe cohort achieved a clinical pregnancy rate of 46.7% (7/15) following postbiotic intervention and subsequent FET. Beta-diversity analysis revealed preservation of global community structure (PERMANOVA R² = 0.05, p = 0.65), indicating ecological stability. Despite cohort-level stability, patient-specific analysis identified favorable microbiome restructuring in 73% of participants (11/15), including emergence of Lactobacillus-dominant communities in previously dysbiotic profiles. Absolute abundance quantification demonstrated selective elimination of dysbiosis-associated pathogens: Prevotella decreased from 408.47±990.78 to 0.29±0.83 cells/sample (p < 0.01), Pseudomonas from 419.07±567.04 to 89.14±114.42 (p < 0.05), and complete clearance of Howardella (3.53±9.87 to undetectable). Conversely, Gluconacetobacter increased significantly from undetectable to 2.93±4.18 cells/sample (p < 0.05).

conclusionsIn this pilot cohort, antimicrobial peptide-based postbiotic therapy was associated with encouraging pregnancy outcomes and targeted pathogen clearance. The intervention selectively reduced high-burden detrimental taxa while maintaining microbiome architectural integrity, supporting precision microecological modulation as a promising adjuvant strategy for reproductive health.

Indexed as

Antimicrobial PeptidesDysbiosisInfertility, FemaleMicrobiotaVaginaAdultEmbryo TransferFemaleFertilization in VitroHumansLactobacillusPilot ProjectsPregnancyPregnancy RateRNA, Ribosomal, 16SAntimicrobial PeptidesRNA, Ribosomal, 16Santimicrobial peptidesassisted reproductive technologyinfertilityin vitro fertilizationpostbioticsvaginal microbiome

Identifiers

PMID42158827
PMCPMC13181365

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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.