Lactobacillus-dominance and rapid stabilization of vaginal microbiota in combined oral contraceptive pill users examined through a longitudinal cohort study with frequent vaginal sampling over two years.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Bacterial vaginosis (BV), a condition in which vaginal Lactobacillus spp. are in low abundance, is associated with vulvovaginal symptoms, obstetric outcomes and urogenital infections. Recurrent BV is difficult to manage, and emerging data indicate a reduced risk of BV with the use of hormonal contraception (HC). Despite widespread use, little longitudinal data is available on whether, and in what timeframe, combined oral contraceptive pills (COCs) may act to affect vaginal microbiota stability and Lactobacillus dominance.

Methods

We compared the vaginal microbiota of reproductive-age cisgender women during intervals on combined estrogen and progestin COCs with non-use intervals in a 2-year observational study. Vaginal microbiota were characterized by 16S rRNA gene

SUBMITTER: Tuddenham S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9792759 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature