Effects of antibiotic exposure on human fertility: a systematic review
10.19485/j.cnki.issn2096-5087.2024.08.010
- Author:
GAO Yaya
;
XIA Luobin
;
PAN Guixia
;
TAO Fangbiao
;
SHAO Shanshan
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
antibiotics;
fertility;
infertility;
systematic review
- From:
Journal of Preventive Medicine
2024;36(8):687-692,697
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective:To explore the impact of antibiotic exposure on human fertility, so as to provide the reference for related research on risk factors and prevention of infertility.
Methods:Publications pertaining to antibiotic exposure and human fertility were retrived in CNKI, Wanfang Data, VIP, PubMed, Embase and Web of Science from inception to March 2024. Two reviewers independently conducted literature screening, data extraction, and quality assessment. A qualitative analysis was performed to investigate the effect of antibiotic exposure on human fertility.
Results:A total of 11 623 articles were retrieved, and 31 of them were finally included. Among them, 19 were quasi-experimental studies (4 high-quality and 15 medium-quality), 6 were observational studies (5 high-quality and 1 medium-quality), and 6 were randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with high risks of implementation bias and measurement bias. Sixteen quasi-experimental studies and five RCTs found that the use of sensitive antibiotics such as doxycycline for the treatment of reproductive system infections improved female pregnancy rates or male semen quality. Two quasi-experimental studies and one RCT suggested that antibiotics (such as sirolimus or sulfasalazine) used to treat other systemic diseases might cause adverse effects on the reproductive system. Four observational studies indicated that exposure to antibiotics such as sulfonamides, macrolides, and tetracyclines increased the risk of infertility or prostate cancer. Two observational studies found a dual effect of antibiotics on infertility.
Conclusions:Antibiotic exposure appears to have either beneficial or harmful effects on fertility, depending on the antibiotic types, doses, and indication. However, these studies have limitations such as small sample size, selection bias, and the inability to achieve randomization and blind methods. Further research with optimized designs is necessary to explore the relationship between antibiotic exposure and fertility.
- Full text:2024092617010720553抗生素暴露对人类生育力影响的系统综述.pdf
