The Vaginal Microbiome in Women’s Health and Bacterial Vaginosis

Abstract

Background: You may have heard of the gut microbiome, but the vagina also has a microbiota. The bacterial composition of the vaginal microbiome is thought to be associated with women’s health and disease states. The vaginal microbiome is a complex and dynamic micro-ecosystem that fluctuates throughout the menstrual cycle and throughout a woman’s life. The vaginal mucosa consists of a stratified, non-keratinised squamous epithelium covered by cervicovaginal secretions. The composition of the vaginal microbiota varies greatly between healthy and diseased individuals, and there are many factors that can influence the balance of microbiota in the vagina.

Aim of Study: The aim of the study was to review the current literature on the importance of the vaginal microbiota and to discover what factors may influence the composition of the vaginal microbiome.

Materials and Methods: A systemic review was conducted using Google Scholar, PubMed and ScienceDirect databases and the search was limited to studies published between 2000 and 2024. The search strategy was based on following terms: microbiome, vaginal bacteria, health and microbiome, vaginal microflora and human vaginal microbiota.