Cervicovaginal mucus barrier properties during pregnancy are impacted by the vaginal microbiome.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Mucus in the female reproductive tract acts as a barrier that traps and eliminates pathogens and foreign particles via steric and adhesive interactions. During pregnancy, mucus protects the uterine environment from ascension of pathogens and bacteria from the vagina into the uterus, a potential contributor to intrauterine inflammation and preterm birth. As recent work has demonstrated the benefit of vaginal drug delivery in treating women's health indications, we sought to define the barrier properties of human cervicovaginal mucus (CVM) during pregnancy to inform the design of vaginally delivered therapeutics during pregnancy.

Methods

CVM samples were self-collected by pregnant participants over the course of pregnancy, and barrier properties were quantified us

SUBMITTER: Zierden HC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10103693 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature