Like in the gut, the female genital tract has a microbial ecosystem consisting of beneficial bacteria, fungi, and other single-celled organisms.
This microbiome is vital for vaginal health and disease prevention. Any imbalance can raise the risk of STDs and infertility.
For women with imbalances in their vaginal microbiota, researchers have tested using vaginal secretions from healthy donors.
The vaginal microbiome shows a lot of promise in improving women’s reproductive health, but long-term safety and efficacy still needs to be established.