Glycogen Levels in Undiluted Genital Fluid and Their Relationship to Vaginal pH, Estrogen, and Progesterone.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Colonization of the female lower genital tract with Lactobacillus provides protection against STIs and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Growth of genital Lactobacillus is postulated to depend on epithelial cell-produced glycogen. However, the amount of cell-free glycogen in genital fluid available for utilization by Lactobacillus is not known.

Methods

Eighty-five genital fluid samples from 7 pre-menopausal women taken over 4-6 weeks were obtained using the Instead SoftCup® (EvoFem, Inc., San Diego, CA, USA) by consented donors. Cell-free glycogen and glucose in genital fluids and estrogen and progesterone in blood were quantified.

Findings

Glycogen ranged from 0.1-32 μg/μl. There were significant differences between women in glycogen over the observation period.

SUBMITTER: Mirmonsef P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4836725 | biostudies-literature | 2016

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature