A study involving mice and humans suggests that a bacterial supplement could improve female fertility
A study published in the journal Cell Host & Microbe analysed endometrial samples from 149 women aged between 20 and 45 who were undergoing treatment for infertility. The younger patients had a significantly higher abundance of a beneficial bacterium called Lactobacillus gasseri, the presence of which decreased with age. Furthermore, pregnant women had a higher abundance of these bacteria in the endometrium. In mouse models, older animals showed higher rates of embryo implantation when treated with L. gasseri derivatives. Despite these findings, the authors emphasise that further research is needed and warn women against self-medicating with over-the-counter L. gasseri products, as their effectiveness in treating infertility has not been validated.
