Clinical Outcomes of In Vitro Fertilization among Chinese Infertile Couples Treated for Syphilis Infection

Study on the influence of syphilis on the outcome of frozen-thawed embryo transfer in infertility patients

Objective

In this study, the effect of in vitro Fertilization-Embryo Transfer (IVF-ET) on the clinical outcome of patients with syphilis infertility during resuscitation cycle.

Methods

A retrospective single-center method was adopted. This study included 4430 pairs of infertile patients who underwent syphilis detection. The influence of the syphilis freeze-thaw embryos transplantation outcome was studied in the patients with infertility by comparing the general clinical characteristics of patients (age, years of infertility, body mass index (BMI), basal follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), serum basal estradiol (Estradiol, E2), transplanted intimal thickness, the number of embryos transferred) and the clinical pregnancy (biochemical pregnancy rate, clinical pregnancy rate, implantation rate, live birth rate and abortion rate).

Results

Firstly, in the clinical outcome of one frozen-thawed embryos transfer, the live birth rate of the woman's syphilis-infected group was lower than that of the uninfected group (71.3 % vs. 50.0 %), while the abortion rate was higher than that of the uninfected group (7.8 % vs. 26.7 %), and there was a statistical difference (P < 0.05), and there was no statistical difference in other indicators between other groups (P > 0.05). Secondly, in the clinical outcome of two frozen-thawed embryos transfers, the biochemical pregnancy rate (61.3 % vs. 28.6 %) and clinical pregnancy rate (42.9 % vs. 14.3 %) of the group which was infected with syphilis alone were lower than those of the uninfected group (P < 0.05), and other indicators among the other groups showed no statistical difference (P > 0.05). Thirdly, in the clinical outcomes of frozen-thawed embryos transfer three times or more, there was no significant difference in the clinical indicators between the syphilis infertility patients and the non-infected infertility patients (P > 0.05).

Conclusion

When the syphilis infertility patients and the non-infected infertile patients underwent IVF-ET treatment for the first time, the live birth rate and abortion rate of the syphilis group were significantly different (P < 0.05). In the outcome of two transplants, the biochemical pregnancy rate and clinical Pregnancy rates were significantly reduced so patients with syphilis infertility who undergo IVF-ET should be informed about the risk of adverse clinical outcomes.

The negative impact of most relevant infections on fertility and assisted reproduction technology

Infections may act with variable impact on the physiopathology of the reproductive organs, determining infertility or reducing the outcomes of assisted reproduction technology. The aim of this narrative review is to describe the existing evidence regarding the pathogens with a supposed or recognized role in reproductive medicine. Viral hepatitis, as well as HIV, can reduce sperm quality. Syphilis carries a risk of erectile dysfunction and increased endometrial thickness. Chlamydia is the main cause of pelvic inflammatory disease. In relation to Mycoplasma and Ureaplasma spp., only few species seem to show a correlation with infertility and poor in-vitro fertilization outcomes. There is evidence of a role for bacterial vaginosis in early pregnancy loss. HPV infection in males seems to determine infertility. Herpesviruses are more a risk for fetuses than for fertility itself. Zika virus is responsible for altered early embryo development and waiting to conceive is recommended in suspected or confirmed cases. The impact of SARS-CoV-2 is yet to be elucidated. Rubella and toxoplasmosis can provoke important congenital defects and therefore screening is mandatory before conception; a vaccine for Rubella is recommended. Further and well-designed studies are still needed to better elucidate the role of some infectious agents, to improve fertility and its treatments.

Presence of Chlamydia trachomatis and Mycoplasma spp., but not Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Treponema pallidum, in women undergoing an infertility evaluation: high prevalence of tetracycline resistance gene tet(M)

Chlamydia trachomatis, Mycoplasma spp., Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Treponema pallidum are sexually transmitted pathogens that threaten reproductive health worldwide. In this study, vaginal swabs obtained from women (n = 133) that attended an infertility clinic in China were tested with qPCRs for C. trachomatis, Mycoplasma spp., N. gonorrhoeae, T. pallidum and tetracycline resistance genes. While none of vaginal swabs were positive for N. gonorrhoeae and T. pallidum, 18.8% (25/133) of the swabs were positive for Chlamydia spp. and 17.3% of the swabs (23/133) were positive for Mycoplasma species. All swabs tested were positive for tetracycline resistance gene tet(M) which is the most effective antibiotic for bacterial sexually transmitted infections. The qPCRs determined that the gene copy number per swab for tet(M) was 7.6 times as high as that of C. trachomatis 23S rRNA, and 14.7 times of Mycoplasma spp. 16S rRNA. In China, most hospitals do not detect C. trachomatis and Mycoplasma spp. in women with sexually transmitted infections and fertility problems. This study strongly suggests that C. trachomatis and Mycoplasma spp. should be routinely tested in women with sexually transmitted infections and infertility in China, and that antimicrobial resistance of these organisms should be monitored. Further studies are warranted to determine the prevalences in different regions and associated risk factors.