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The menstrual cycle is a recurring process, usually lasting about 28 days. It has four key phases: menstrual, follicular, ovulation, and luteal, each regulated by hormonal changes. These hormonal shifts not only impact reproductive functions but also influence various aspects of a woman's health, including the composition and balance of the vaginal microbiota, which can fluctuate throughout the cycle.
What we know:
Lactobacillus species are among the most common colonizers of the vaginal tract in women of reproductive age and are recognized as key components of a healthy vaginal microbiome (Krog et al., 2022).
Lactobacillus is thought to defend against infections and maintain a healthy vaginal epithelium by producing lactic acid, which lowers the vaginal pH and makes it difficult for pathogenic bacteria to grow (Song et al., 2020).
Menstrual blood neutralizes the acidic vaginal environment, raising the pH, which promotes the growth of anaerobic bacteria like Streptococcus and Gardnerella, while reducing Lactobacillus populations, and the iron in menstrual blood also nourishes certain bacteria (Shen et al., 2022).
Women with unstable Vaginal Community Dynamics (VCDs) showed higher phage counts, often dominated by Lactobacillus iners, and had Gardnerella spp strains more likely to carry bacteriocin-coding genes (Hugerth et al., 2024).
Menstruation triggers an inflammatory response characterized by increased cytokine production and a higher accumulation of mature, activated neutrophils in the vagina, alongside an increase in Streptococcaceae (Adapen et al., 2022).
Industry impact & potential:
Modifying the vaginal microbiota with antibiotics or probiotics could be beneficial, and recognizing effective therapeutic strategies for these modifications is important (Adapen et al., 2022).
Our solution:
At Sequential, we have assembled a dedicated team of scientists who have meticulously studied the human microbiome including the vaginal microbiome. With experience collaborating with many clients worldwide, we are well-prepared to partner with your company on intimate female health applications, microbiome testing, in vivo and clinical certification, and formulation support.
Reference:
Adapen C, Réot L, Nunez N, Cannou C, Marlin R, Lemaître J, d'Agata L, Gilson E, Ginoux
E, Le Grand R, Nugeyre MT, Menu E. Local Innate Markers and Vaginal Microbiota Composition Are Influenced by Hormonal Cycle Phases. Front Immunol. 2022 Mar 25;13:841723. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.841723. PMID: 35401577; PMCID: PMC8990777.
Hugerth, L.W., Krog, M.C., Vomstein, K. et al. Defining Vaginal Community Dynamics: daily
microbiome transitions, the role of menstruation, bacteriophages, and bacterial genes. Microbiome 12, 153 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40168-024-01870-5
Krog MC, Hugerth LW, Fransson E, Bashir Z, Nyboe Andersen A, Edfeldt G, Engstrand L,
Schuppe-Koistinen I, Nielsen HS. The healthy female microbiome across body sites: effect of hormonal contraceptives and the menstrual cycle. Hum Reprod. 2022 Jun 30;37(7):1525-1543. doi: 10.1093/humrep/deac094. PMID: 35553675; PMCID: PMC9247429.
Shen L, Zhang W, Yuan Y, Zhu W, Shang A. Vaginal microecological characteristics of
women in different physiological and pathological period. Front Cell Infect Microbiol. 2022 Jul 22;12:959793. doi: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.959793. PMID: 35937699; PMCID: PMC9354832.
Song SD, Acharya KD, Zhu JE, Deveney CM, Walther-Antonio MRSTetel MJ, Chia N 2020.
Daily Vaginal Microbiota Fluctuations Associated with Natural Hormonal Cycle, Contraceptives, Diet, and Exercise. mSphere5:10.1128/msphere.00593-20.https://doi.org/10.1128/msphere.00593-20
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