Gram-negative bacterial endotoxin-induced infertility: A birds eye view

Alleviation of infertility on the one hand and development of improved methods of contraception on the other are global concerns to woman's health. The molecular signals that regulate implantation are of clinical relevance since understanding the nature of these signals may lead to strategies to correct implantation failure and to develop novel contraceptive approaches. The other pressing concern is the poor pregnancy rate resulting from in vitro fertilization (IVF). The pregnancy rate in IVF programs remains about 20-30% in spite of the high rate of successful fertilization. This has led to the proposition that additional uterine factors, critical for the implantation process, must be limiting. Identification of such parameters could help in determining the appropriate physiological state of the uterus for embryo transfer. Several factors are known to have a direct or indirect impact on the ability of the uterus to develop to a functionally receptive state. This would disrupt the normal coordination between embryonic and uterine development even though all molecular players may seem otherwise normal. Copyright (C) 2004 S. Karger AG, Basel.