The Vaginal Microbiome: I. Research Development, Lexicon, Defining Normal and the Dynamics Throughout Women's Lives

Objective: This series of articles, titled The VaginalMicrobiome, written on behalf of the International Society for the Study of Vulvovaginal Disease, aims to summarize the current findings and understanding of the vaginal bacterial microbiota, mainly regarding areas relevant to clinicians specializing in vulvovaginal disorders. Materials and Methods: A database search of PubMed was performed, using the search terms vaginal microbiome (VMB) with research, normal, neonate, puberty, adolescent, menopause, and ethnicities, as well as human microbiome project. Full article texts were reviewed. Reference lists were screened for additional articles. Results: In the last 2 decades, many studies applying molecular techniques were performed, intending to characterize the vaginal microbiota. These studies advanced our understanding of how vaginal health is defined. The first article in this series focuses on the advancement of VMB research, technical definitions, the definition of normal VMB, and the dynamics of VMB throughout women's lives. Conclusions: Understanding how microorganisms inhabiting the vagina interact with each other and with the host is important for a more complete understanding of vaginal health. The clinical application of microbial community sequencing is in its beginning, and its interpretation regarding practical clinical aspects is yet to be determined.

Automated summary

This series of articles aims to summarize the current findings and understanding of the vaginal bacterial microbiota, with a focus on clinicians specializing in vulvovaginal disorders. Molecular techniques have advanced our understanding of vaginal health and the interactions between microorganisms inhabiting the vagina. The clinical implications of microbial community sequencing are still being determined.