Cervicovaginal microbiota and women’s health outcomes

Abstract

The human cervicovaginal microbiome has an important role in the health and homoeostasis of the female reproductive tract. A eubiotic microbiome is typically dominated with lactic acid producing bacteria and is categorised into five community state types. Issues arise when the microbiome becomes dysbiotic, with the microbial composition shifting to contain a greater relative abundance of strict and facultative anaerobes. This shift will lead to several adverse changes in the vaginal environment including compromised epithelial cells, cell death, inflammation, and greater susceptibility to infection. These changes are associated with various adverse outcomes including infections, preterm birth, and infertility. In this review, we discuss how the cervicovaginal microbiome influences these outcomes and possible future directions of treatment and research.