How does BV impact fertility according to scientific data?
- audrone8
- Jun 18
- 2 min read
1. BV is more common in infertile women and affects fertility by multiple mechanisms:
• BV is three times more common in infertile women than fertile women, and it can decrease fertility by increasing inflammation, damaging sperm and vaginal cells, interfering with cervical mucus production, and causing tubal damage that blocks sperm-egg meeting 1,8,6.
• Vaginal infections, including BV, are significantly more prevalent in infertile women, with BV-associated inflammation and immune activation directly impairing fertility 6.
2. BV toxins impair sperm function and fertilization:
• Toxins produced by BV-associated bacteria (e.g., lipopolysaccharide and vaginolysin) dysregulate sperm capacitation, intracellular calcium homeostasis, and reduce sperm motility, hyperactivation, and acrosomal exocytosis, impairing the ability of sperm to fertilize eggs in vitro 3,7.
• BV-associated sialidase enzymes remodel the sperm glycocalyx, increasing sperm susceptibility to immune damage, agglutination, and trapping in cervical mucus, thereby reducing sperm survival and function in the female reproductive tract 5.
3. BV and vaginal infections can cause upper genital tract damage and tubal infertility:
• BV and other vaginal infections can ascend to the upper genital tract, causing pelvic inflammatory disease and tubal blockage, preventing sperm and egg from meeting 1,4,6.
• This damage, combined with inflammation and immune activation, creates a toxic reproductive environment 1, 6.
4. BV affects cervical mucus and vaginal environment:
• BV interferes with the production of healthy cervical mucus during ovulation, which is critical for sperm transport and survival 1.
• The imbalance of vaginal microbiota in BV (reduced lactobacilli, increased anaerobes) disrupts the vaginal environment necessary for fertility 6,9.
These findings are supported by laboratory studies, clinical observations, and meta-analyses, highlighting the multifactorial ways BV can reduce fertility by affecting sperm viability, egg fertilization, cervical mucus quality, and tubal patency.
Key references:
• Jayaprakash A et al., 2025. Study of vaginal infections in women with infertility. Int J Reprod Contracept Obstet Gynecol6.
• Mahdavinezhad et al., 2025. BV-associated sialidases remodel sperm glycocalyx and impair sperm survival. bioRxiv5.
• Study on BV toxins impairing sperm capacitation and fertilization, NIH-funded, 20253,7.
• Meta-analysis on BV impact on IVF outcomes 9.
These sources provide a scientific basis for the statement that BV can harm sperm and eggs, disrupt reproductive tract conditions, and contribute to infertility.
