Lanza, Daniel Carlos FerreiraAderaldo, Janaina Ferreira2022-11-252022-11-252022-07-29ADERALDO, Janaina Ferreira. Infertilidade e reprodução assistida: mercado global, avaliação de tecnologias para seleção espermática e prospecção da microbiota seminal. Orientador: Daniel Carlos Ferreira Lanza. 2022. 144f. Tese (Doutorado em Biotecnologia) - Centro de Tecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, 2022.https://repositorio.ufrn.br/handle/123456789/49904Infertility is defined as failure to obtain a pregnancy after 12 months of regular unprotected sexual intercourse, or as conditions that make the meeting of gametes incompatible. Infertility is considered a global health problem, the global market in assisted reproductive technologies (ART) moved around US$ 26 billion dollars in 2019 and is expected to reach US$ 45 billion by 2025. The main factors associated with this market, as well as the elements that can influence the efficiency of fertility-related procedures, are still little discussed, and in many cases unknown. In this context, this thesis aimed to characterize the main topics related to the global market in assisted human reproduction (AHR) and to deepen the research on two topics still little studied: the efficiency of the microfluidics procedure and the occurrence of pathogens in semen. The first chapter presents a scope review that aimed to characterize the RHA market. The topic modeling methodology was applied, which made it possible to identify the most discussed terms in peer-reviewed texts and gray literature related to the topic. Based on this review, it was possible to observe that the vast majority of the works address economic, regulatory and geographic aspects and that topics related to research, development and technical improvement, especially regarding in vitro fertilization (IVF) are not addressed. In this way, we observe the need to deepen the analysis of market elements that may be related to the increase in the efficiency of IVF in the technical field. This first chapter motivated the deepening of the investigation of technologies that are related to increasing the efficiency of IVF. Among the technologies mentioned above, the use of microfluidics for sperm selection (MFSS) is in vogue. In the second chapter of the thesis, we present the first meta-analysis with the objective of identifying potential benefits in the use of this device on the rates of clinical pregnancy and abortion in ART. The results indicate a slight increase in the clinical pregnancy rate and a decrease in abortion rates in relation to the sperm selection techniques by density gradient and swimup; however, these results did not show statistical significance. The most robust indicators of success in ART remain maternal age, ovarian reserve and quali-quantitative sperm analysis. In this context of deepening the knowledge about the less studied topics within the RHA, the third chapter of the thesis presents the first study that applied the shotgun metagenomics approach in seminal samples. Although still little studied, the occurrence of pathogens in semen can be considered a cause of infertility and the choice of technique is justified by the possibility of non-directed identification of the entire group of organisms in the sample. We used a pool of seminal samples provided by volunteers at the Reproductive Rights Unit at Maternity School Januário Cicco (MEJC). We found 71.3% bacterial domain, 27.6% eukaryotic domain and 1.1% viral community. These findings expand the current view on the functional microbiota and point to future investigations as to the role of non-culturable microorganisms in the reproductive system. In addition, the Herv families identified in seminal samples open a new line for studies with a functional and evolutionary perspective. All the data collected in this thesis contribute to new research fronts at market levels, improvement of methodologies and diagnosis of fertility-related diseases.Acesso AbertoReprodução humana assistidaFertilização in vitroRevisão de escopoMetagenômicaShotgunMicrobioma seminaldoctoralThesisCNPQ::CIENCIAS BIOLOGICAS