Prevalence of Urogenital Mycoplasmas in Iran and Their Effects on Fertility Potential: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND: Urogenital mycoplasmas are potentially pathogenic species causing genitourinary tract infections that may be initially asymptomatic but can progress and lead to severe complications and threaten reproductive health. However, the overall prevalence rate of this bacterium and its probable impacts on fertility potential have yet to be determined. METHODS: We searched both English and Persian electronic databases using key words such as “Mycoplasma,” “Ureaplasma,” “M. hominis,” “M. genitalium,” “U. urealyticum,” “U. parvum,” “prevalence,” and “Iran”. Finally, after some exclusion, 29 studies from different regions of Iran were included in our study, and a meta-analysis was performed on collected data. RESULTS: Urogenital mycoplasmas prevalence for women and men was high and ranged from 2%–40.5% and 2%–44.3%, respectively. The pooled prevalence in the male population was 11.1% (95% CI, 7.4%–16.4%) and in female was 12.8% (95% CI, 9.8%–16.5%). The prevalence of these bacteria was significantly higher in infertile men compared with that in fertile men. A high level of heterogeneity was observed for both men (I(2) = 92.4%; P<0.001) and women (I(2) = 93.3%; P<0.001). Some evidence for publication bias was observed in both men [Egger’s test (two-tailed P=0.0007), and Begg’s test (two-tailed P=0.0151)] and women [Egger’s test (two-tailed P=0.0006), and Begg’s test (two-tailed P=0.0086)] analysis. CONCLUSION: Since urogenital mycoplasmas may play a role in male infertility, screening strategies, particularly for asymptomatic individuals, and treatment of infected ones, which can reduce consequent complications, looks to be necessary.