Fertility and the Microbiome

NCT ID: NCT05328999

Last Updated: 2024-07-24

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

RECRUITING

Total Enrollment

300 participants

Study Classification

OBSERVATIONAL

Study Start Date

2022-08-10

Study Completion Date

2026-12-31

Brief Summary

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With this study, the investigators want to investigate the microbiome and human papilloma virus (HPV) status of couples with subfertility. The investigators want to gain information about association of female and male microbiome and its impact on fertility. HPV prevalence is high, and its impact on fertility has not been studied intensively. The investigators want to find out whether there is an association between HPV status and subfertility, vaginal and seminal microbiome and HPV status and the prevalence among our subfertile couples.

As part of this study, the investigators will perform a randomized placebo controlled double blind pilot study to investigate the association between altered sperm quality (impaired motility and elevated DNA fragmentation index), the seminal microbiome and whether intake of probiotics alters these parameters.

Detailed Description

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Observational study:

The investigators will include 150 couples within 24 months and will take samples of oral, urinary, stool, vaginal, uterine and seminal microbiome and cervical as well as seminal samples for HPV analysis. Further, the investigators will test for other sexually transmittable diseases, hormone status and metabolic status. Time to pregnancy, pregnancy rate and live birth rate will be evaluated.

Placebo controlled double blind randomized controlled trial:

30 subfertile men (Asthenozoospermia, elevated DNA fragmentation index) will be randomized in to two groups: Placebo or Probiotics for 3 months daily. Before and after these 3 months, sperm count microbiome analysis and HPV analysis will be performed to find possible associations with intake of probiotics.

Conditions

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Subfertility Asthenozoospermia

Study Design

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Observational Model Type

COHORT

Study Time Perspective

PROSPECTIVE

Study Groups

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Subfertile patients

Males and females between 18 and 50 years of age with subfertility presenting at the fertility center at the Medical University of Graz.

No interventions assigned to this group

Subfertile males with elevated DNA fragmentation index and asthenozoospermia

Males between 18 and 50 years of age with elevated DNA fragmentation index and asthenozoospermia presenting at the fertility center at the Medical University of Graz.

Probiotics (Omnibiotic (R))

Intervention Type DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

As intervention in the randomized placebo controlled double blind trial, 30 males will receive either probiotics or placebo once daily for 3 months. Sperm count and microbiome analysis before and after intervention will be performed.

Interventions

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Probiotics (Omnibiotic (R))

As intervention in the randomized placebo controlled double blind trial, 30 males will receive either probiotics or placebo once daily for 3 months. Sperm count and microbiome analysis before and after intervention will be performed.

Intervention Type DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Couples (Males and females) with subfertility, primary or secondary infertility, or recurrent pregnancy loss.

Exclusion Criteria

* unable to consent
* diseases or conditions that might impact investigation
* intake of probiotics, antibiotics within last 3 months
* intake of nutritional supplements
* chemo therapy or radiation therapy
* excess alcohol intake
* smoking
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

50 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Medical University of Graz

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

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Martina Kollmann, PD Dr.

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Medical University of Graz

Locations

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Medical University of Graz

Graz, Styria, Austria

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

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Austria

Central Contacts

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Sarah Feigl, Dr.

Role: CONTACT

004331638580831

Facility Contacts

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Sarah Feigl, Dr.

Role: primary

004331638580831

Martina Kollmann, PD Dr.

Role: backup

004331638584190

References

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Jersoviene V, Gudleviciene Z, Rimiene J, Butkauskas D. Human Papillomavirus and Infertility. Medicina (Kaunas). 2019 Jul 15;55(7):377. doi: 10.3390/medicina55070377.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 31311196 (View on PubMed)

Brusselaers N, Shrestha S, van de Wijgert J, Verstraelen H. Vaginal dysbiosis and the risk of human papillomavirus and cervical cancer: systematic review and meta-analysis. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2019 Jul;221(1):9-18.e8. doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2018.12.011. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 30550767 (View on PubMed)

Koedooder R, Singer M, Schoenmakers S, Savelkoul PHM, Morre SA, de Jonge JD, Poort L, Cuypers WJSS, Beckers NGM, Broekmans FJM, Cohlen BJ, den Hartog JE, Fleischer K, Lambalk CB, Smeenk JMJS, Budding AE, Laven JSE. The vaginal microbiome as a predictor for outcome of in vitro fertilization with or without intracytoplasmic sperm injection: a prospective study. Hum Reprod. 2019 Jun 4;34(6):1042-1054. doi: 10.1093/humrep/dez065.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 31119299 (View on PubMed)

Depuydt CE, Donders GGG, Verstraete L, Vanden Broeck D, Beert JFA, Salembier G, Bosmans E, Ombelet W. Infectious human papillomavirus virions in semen reduce clinical pregnancy rates in women undergoing intrauterine insemination. Fertil Steril. 2019 Jun;111(6):1135-1144. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2019.02.002. Epub 2019 Apr 17.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 31005311 (View on PubMed)

Baud D, Pattaroni C, Vulliemoz N, Castella V, Marsland BJ, Stojanov M. Sperm Microbiota and Its Impact on Semen Parameters. Front Microbiol. 2019 Feb 12;10:234. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.00234. eCollection 2019.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 30809218 (View on PubMed)

Koedooder R, Singer M, Schoenmakers S, Savelkoul PHM, Morre SA, de Jonge JD, Poort L, Cuypers WSS, Budding AE, Laven JSE; ReceptIVFity study group. The ReceptIVFity cohort study protocol to validate the urogenital microbiome as predictor for IVF or IVF/ICSI outcome. Reprod Health. 2018 Dec 7;15(1):202. doi: 10.1186/s12978-018-0653-x.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 30526664 (View on PubMed)

Depuydt CE, Donders G, Verstraete L, Vanden Broeck D, Beert J, Salembier G, Bosmans E, DhontT N, Van Der Auwera I, Vandenborne K, Ombelet W. Time has come to include Human Papillomavirus (HPV) testing in sperm donor banks. Facts Views Vis Obgyn. 2018 Dec;10(4):201-205.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 31367292 (View on PubMed)

Xiong YQ, Chen YX, Cheng MJ, He WQ, Chen Q. The risk of human papillomavirus infection for male fertility abnormality: a meta-analysis. Asian J Androl. 2018 Sep-Oct;20(5):493-497. doi: 10.4103/aja.aja_77_17.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 29623908 (View on PubMed)

Moreno I, Simon C. Relevance of assessing the uterine microbiota in infertility. Fertil Steril. 2018 Aug;110(3):337-343. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2018.04.041.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 30098680 (View on PubMed)

Simon C. Introduction: Do microbes in the female reproductive function matter? Fertil Steril. 2018 Aug;110(3):325-326. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2018.06.041. Epub 2018 Jul 20.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 30037698 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

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Fertilitom

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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