The Impact of the Gut and Female Reproductive Tract Microbiome on Endocrine Function and Female Infertility
Females with chronic gastrointestinal-related immune disorders, such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), have higher rates of infertility than women without these disorders. This issue has implications for the health and wellbeing of females desiring children. Previous research has shown that IBD is accompanied by alterations in the gut microbiota. There is evidence that the gut microbiota impacts a control center in the brain known as the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis. This relationship has implications for the regulation of hormones secreted by the ovaries, as the rate of secretion is controlled by the HPG axis. Therefore, we hypothesize that changes in the gut microbiota, which is altered in chronic inflammatory states including IBD, is associated with changes in the activity of the HPG axis, leading to increased infertility. Here we show that there is a longitudinal difference in both the fecal and reproductive tract microbiota composition in a female murine model of IBD. These results suggest the community compositions of bacteria in the intestine and reproductive tract change over time in females with IBD, which may interfere with proper HPG axis functioning.