Establishing uterine receptivity to embryo implantation remains a major bottleneck in reproductive success – hence there is a need to better understand the underpinning biological mechanisms. This review summarises and integrates insights gained from gene expression studies that collectively demonstrate seminal fluid drives uterine immune and vascular changes accompanying acquisition of uterine receptivity. Defining the impact of seminal fluid on implantation biology will help us to better understand the determinants of healthy fertility, and develop novel interventions for managing reproduction in humans and animals. Illustration by Hon Y. Chan and Sarah A. Robertson using BioRender.

This article belongs to the collection: Frontiers in Reproduction Science – Rising Stars at the Society for Reproductive Biology 2023.