Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42482090›Full record

ArticleReproductive biology and endocrinology : RB&E2026

Assessing the female urogenital-rectal axis microbiome: focus on endometriosis and recurrent implantation failure.

Bárbara A Folch, Inmaculada Pérez-Prieto, Eduardo Salas-Espejo, Alberto Sola-Leyva, Analuce Canha-Gouveia, Nerea M Molina, Eva Vargas, Irene Leonés-Baños, Miriam Gámiz-Aguilera, Celia M Tenorio and 6 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Reproductive biology and endocrinology : RB&E, 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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0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

16 authors.

Bárbara A FolchDepartment of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Granada, Granada, Spain.
Inmaculada Pérez-PrietoDepartment of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Granada, Granada, Spain.
Eduardo Salas-EspejoDepartment of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Granada, Granada, Spain.
Alberto Sola-LeyvaCelvia CC AS, Tartu, 50410, Estonia.
Analuce Canha-GouveiaDepartment of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Granada, Granada, Spain.
Nerea M MolinaDepartment of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Granada, Granada, Spain.
Eva VargasInstituto de Investigación Biosanitaria ibs.GRANADA, Granada, Spain.
Irene Leonés-BañosDepartment of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Granada, Granada, Spain.
Miriam Gámiz-AguileraDepartment of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Granada, Granada, Spain.
Celia M TenorioDepartment of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Granada, Granada, Spain.
María José Sáez-LaraDepartment of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Granada, Granada, Spain.
Susana Ruíz-DuránInstituto de Investigación Biosanitaria ibs.GRANADA, Granada, Spain.
Rocío Sánchez-RuízInstituto de Investigación Biosanitaria ibs.GRANADA, Granada, Spain.
Bárbara RomeroInstituto de Investigación Biosanitaria ibs.GRANADA, Granada, Spain.
José Antonio CastillaInstituto de Investigación Biosanitaria ibs.GRANADA, Granada, Spain.
Signe AltmäeDepartment of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Granada, Granada, Spain. signe.altmae@ki.se.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0708-1865

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundEmerging evidence suggests microbial dysbiosis may contribute to gynaecological pathologies, including endometriosis and recurrent implantation failure (RIF). The vaginal microbiome is well-characterised, with Lactobacillus-dominance as a hallmark of health, yet interactions between vaginal, cervical, and endometrial microbiomes remain inconclusive. The adjacent sites to the vagina, rectal and urinary environments in infertile women are scarcely studied.

methodsThis cross-sectional study included 136 reproductive-aged women, enrolled at the Reproductive Unit of the University Hospital Virgen de las Nieves (Granada, Spain) between March 2019 and March 2024. Each participant provided five samples during the mid-secretory phase: vaginal and cervical swabs, endometrial brushing, urine, and rectal swabs. The microbiome was analysed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing (V4 region) with functional profiles inferred using PICRUSt2. Diversity and bacterial abundance were compared between endometriosis, RIF, and controls, adjusting for age, body mass index, and antimicrobial use.

resultsIn total, 520 samples from 104 women were analysed and revealed shared microbial profiles across the vagina, cervix, endometrium, and urine. The rectal microbiome differed significantly from urogenital sites (Global PERMANOVA, adj p-value = 0.001, R

conclusionsOur study results provide knowledge about the microbial composition throughout the female urogenital tract and rectum, highlighting the interindividual variability rather than the site-specificity. The vaginal bacteria that associated with endometriosis should be investigated further for clarifying their potential as non-invasive biomarkers of the disease. Microbiomes of other urogenital sites do not seem to associate with endometriosis, and microbiomes of the urogenital-rectal axis do not seem to correlate with RIF.

trial registrationN/A.

Indexed as

Embryo ImplantationEndometriosisInfertility, FemaleMicrobiotaRectumUrogenital SystemAdultCross-Sectional StudiesEndometriumFemaleHumansLactobacillusRNA, Ribosomal, 16SVaginaRNA, Ribosomal, 16S16S rRNA gene sequencingEndometriosisFemale infertilityMicrobiomeMicrobiotaRecurrent implantation failure

Identifiers

PMID42482090
PMCPMC13390397

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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 Socratic graph.