Those with Endometriosis are also more likely to experience vaginal dryness and a disrupted vaginal microbiome, which often leads to more painful sex. There are multiple theories as to why exactly this is the case including:

1. Immune system disruption

• Your whole body works together and when one area is disrupted or inflamed, then this impacts many other bodily functions. Therefore, it is thought that the inflammation caused by Endometriosis (for more info click here), releases inflammatory proteins and hormones into the vaginal microbiome, making it less hospitable to good bacteria and thus more likely for your microbiome to be disrupted. 

2. Higher prevalence of bad bacteria

• Women with Endometriosis often have higher levels of bad bacteria in their vaginal microbiome. Although it is not known exactly why this is the case, this causes vaginal dysbiosis. 
• Head over to our free Vaginal Health Clinic to discover what we currently know about the vaginal microbiome and what bacteria in this microbiome do!

3. Lower prevalence of ‘good’ bacteria 

• ‘Good’ bacteria have multiple benefits for your vaginal health including: reducing inflammation, taking up ‘space’ in your microbiome which stops pathogens or ‘bad’ bacteria instead colonising the space. Women with Endometriosis have less of this ‘good’ bacteria, which means they are more susceptible to infections and other symptoms associated with an imbalanced vagina. 

Therefore, while it important for all women to check their vaginal health, we would particularly recommend this for those with Endometriosis. This can be done firstly by knowing what is going on in your vaginal microbiome, by taking one of our Vaginal & Sexual Health Tests which:

• An in-depth understanding of your vaginal health and the implications of this including: 
  • Community state-type 
  • Screen 100% of the bacteria & yeast present in the microbiome 

• Our service is scientific, expert, and at the forefront of new technology 
  • Gold standard testing — involving cutting edge NGS (next-generation-sequencing) technology, that allows the entire DNA of your microbiome to be sequenced with 99% accuracy.NHS and private clinic trusted partner accredited labs 
  • Comprehensive report of vaginal health from your ScreenMe PhD scientist

• We care for you
  • Free 1:1 consultation with one of our expertsA range of scientists and nutritionists personally assess your results to ensure you receive all the information and guidance you need to optimise your health. Access to our community where you can connect with others  Access to our educational resources to learn more about your own health
  • A wealth of recipes to choose from to take back control of your health

Jessica Hobbis

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