Insights
Research summaries and clinician explainers. Every article is reviewed before it is published.
Preterm birth and the vaginal microbiome
NEW ARTICLE SUMMARY: Characteristics of the vaginal microbiota associated with recurrent spontaneous preterm birth: a prospective cohort study Published: May 2025 What was studied Spontaneous preterm birth (sPTB) is a major cause of child mortality and often recurs. Current preventive treatments are limited in effectiveness due to an incomplete understanding of its causes.
25 Jun 2025
The Semen Microbiome & Sperm Parameters
NEW ARTICLE SUMMARY: Semen microbiota are dramatically altered in men with abnormal sperm parameters Published: Jan 2024 What was studied? Researchers recruited men undergoing fertility evaluations or vasectomy consultations, all with proven biological paternity.
6 Jun 2025
Influences on the vaginal microbiome
NEW ARTICLE SUMMARY: Population-level analyses identify host and environmental variables influencing the vaginal microbiome Published: February 2025 What was studied? Researchers conducted a large-scale cross-sectional study involving 6,755 Chinese women to explore how various host and environmental factors influence the composition of the vaginal microbiome.
14 May 2025
The copper coil’s impact on vaginal health
NEW ARTICLE SUMMARY: Copper intrauterine device increases vaginal concentrations of inflammatory anaerobes and depletes lactobacilli compared to hormonal options in a randomized trial Published: January 2023 What was studied?
16 Apr 2025
Male partner treatment to prevent recurrence of BV
NEW ARTICLE SUMMARY: Male-Partner Treatment to Prevent Recurrence of Bacterial Vaginosis. Published: March 2025 What was studied? This randomised controlled trial studied 164 couples where the woman had BV and was in a monogamous relationship.
14 Mar 2025
Misleading Headlines Are Harming Women’s Health Research (opinion)
Dr Golnoush Golshirazi responding to recent Guardian article Opinion: Misleading Headlines Are Harming Women’s Health and Stifling Research, We Must Invest in Vaginal Microbiome Science, Not Dismiss It. The headlines The recent Guardian article titled “Common Fertility Myths Busted” presents an oversimplified and misleading narrative about the role of the vaginal microbiome in fertility.
25 Feb 2025
New article summary: genome database for the vaginal microbiome
NEW ARTICLE SUMMARY A multi-kingdom collection of 33,804 reference genomes for the human vaginal microbiome Published: June 2024 What was studied? The Vaginal Microbial Genome Collection (VMGC) is a large database of 33,804 microbial genomes found in the human vagina.
20 Feb 2025
Potential new microbiome therapies for vaginal dsybiosis
NEW ARTICLE SUMMARY Vaginal dsybiosis and the potential of vaginal microbiome-directed therapeutics. Published: October 2024 What was studied? This study investigated current treatment options for vaginal microbiome dysbiosis (and associated conditions such as BV and thrush). This includes discussing the potential of LBPs, (Live Therapeutic Products).
28 Jan 2025
Anti-fungal resistance and recurrent thrush
NEW ARTICLE SUMMARY Increasing rate of non-Candida albicans yeasts and fluconazole resistance in yeast isolates from women with recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis in Leeds, UK Published: October 2024 What was studied? This study analysed 5461 vaginal swabs from women with suspected complicated or recurrent yeast infections (thrush). Samples were taken between April 2018 and March 2021.
20 Dec 2024
How Lactobacillus species may fight inflammation
NEW ARTICLE SUMMARY: Vaginal lactobacilli produce anti-inflammatory β-carboline compounds Published: October 2024 What was studied? This study investigated the species Lactobacillus crispatus and its role in the vaginal microbiome. This was done by isolating some of the chemicals produced by this species, and then testing the impact of these chemicals on inflammation.
18 Dec 2024
Lactobacillus iners & vaginal health
NEW ARTICLE SUMMARY: Contribution of Lactobacillus iners to Vaginal Health and Diseases: A Systematic Review Published: 2021 What was studied? This study investigated the species Lactobacillus iners and its role in the vaginal microbiome. This was done by reviewing a multitude of studies on this species and commenting on their findings as a whole.
18 Dec 2024
Cervical dysplasia & the microbiome
NEW ARTICLE SUMMARY: Compositional and functional differences of the vaginal microbiota of women with and without cervical dysplasia Published: 2024 What was studied? This study investigated the composition & function of vaginal microbiomes. They compared the vaginal microbiomes of 177 women who have cervical dysplasia to 177 of women who do not.
18 Dec 2024