Association of the microbial culture of follicular fluid, vaginal swab and catheter tip with β–hCG IVF positive and negative

Objective: To find out the association of microbial contamination with β-human chorionic gonadotropin ( β-hCG) in-vitro fertilization (IVF) positive and negative. Methods: A total of 73 fresh IVF cycle women were included in the retrospective study. Vaginal swab culture samples were collected prior to ovum pick-up and embryo transfer. The follicular fluids were collected during ovum pick-up and catheter tip culture samples were collected after successful embryo transfer. After 14 days of the embryo transfer, women were classified into β-hCG IVF positive and negative. The comparative statistical analyses of aerobic microbial culture reports were done between β-hCG IVF positive and negative women. Results: Out of 73 women, 42(57.5%) were found to be β-hCG IVF positive and 31(43.5%) were negative. In the aerobic culture of ovum pick-up vaginal swab, follicular fluid, embryo transplantation vaginal swab and catheter tip, Enterococcus faecalis was found to be higher compared to other bacteria (Streptococcus spp., Candida, Escherichia coli and Klebsiella). Regarding the comparison between IVF positive and negative, the overall microbial infection rate of vaginal swab culture during ovum pick-up and embryo transplantation was found to be higher in IVF negative women than in IVF positive women (38.71% vs. 28.57%); however, it was not statistically significant (P>0.05). The follicular fluid and catheter tip culture microbial infection rate was found to slightly higher in IVF positive women than in IVF negative women (54.76% vs. 41.94% and 19.05% vs. 9.68%, respectively), but there were not significant differences (P>0.05). Conclusions: The aerobic microbial culture reports of follicular fluid, vaginal swab culture, and catheter tip culture are not statistically significantly with β-hCG IVF positive.