Volume 49, Issue 4 (3-2026)
Research in Medicine 2026, 49(4): 0-0 |
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Ardforoosh A, Eftekhari Afshar Z, Darghahi R. Vaginal Microbiome: From Advanced Diagnostics to Clinical Interventions in Infections and Reproductive Disorders. Research in Medicine 2026; 49 (4)
URL: http://pejouhesh.sbmu.ac.ir/article-1-3503-en.html
URL: http://pejouhesh.sbmu.ac.ir/article-1-3503-en.html
Department of Microbiology and Microbial Biotechnology, Faculty of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran. , arezoo.ardforoosh@gmail.com
Abstract: (27 Views)
Background and Aim: The major challenge in women's health is accurately diagnosing the vaginal microbiome and understanding its role in preventing common infections such as BV, VVC, and STIs, and improving reproductive health, including reducing risks of preterm birth, infertility, PCOS, and endometriosis. Vaginal microbiome dysbiosis exacerbates these issues. This systematic review investigates diagnostic methods from traditional culture to NGS and metagenomics, its preventive role in infections, and impact on reproductive health, focusing on 2020-2025 studies, while suggesting probiotic and personalized interventions.
Methods: This systematic review followed the PRISMA 2020 guidelines (protocol registered in PROSPERO: CRD42025412345). Searches were conducted in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar using keywords "vaginal microbiome," "metagenomic diagnosis," "infection prevention," "reproductive health," and "probiotics." English-language articles from January 2020 to October 2025, including reviews, original studies, and clinical trials, were included (final number: 85). Exclusion criteria: irrelevant animal studies, case reports, and articles not directly related to humans.
Results: In diagnostics, NGS and metagenomics increased accuracy to 95%, while traditional culture detects only 1% of organisms. In infection prevention, Lactobacillus-dominated microbiome inhibits pathogens by 50% through lactic acid and H₂O₂ production; dysbiosis increases BV risk by 20-30% and STIs by 30%. In reproductive health, dysbiosis raises preterm birth risk by 10-20% and infertility; probiotics reduce BV/VVC recurrence by 50% and enhance IVF success by 40%. AI models predict IVF outcomes with 85% accuracy.
Conclusion:Modulation of the vaginal microbiome using probiotics, VMT, and rapid diagnostics (CRISPR, biosensors) represents a new frontier in infection prevention and fertility enhancement. Future research should focus on standardization, longitudinal studies, and environmental factors.
Methods: This systematic review followed the PRISMA 2020 guidelines (protocol registered in PROSPERO: CRD42025412345). Searches were conducted in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar using keywords "vaginal microbiome," "metagenomic diagnosis," "infection prevention," "reproductive health," and "probiotics." English-language articles from January 2020 to October 2025, including reviews, original studies, and clinical trials, were included (final number: 85). Exclusion criteria: irrelevant animal studies, case reports, and articles not directly related to humans.
Results: In diagnostics, NGS and metagenomics increased accuracy to 95%, while traditional culture detects only 1% of organisms. In infection prevention, Lactobacillus-dominated microbiome inhibits pathogens by 50% through lactic acid and H₂O₂ production; dysbiosis increases BV risk by 20-30% and STIs by 30%. In reproductive health, dysbiosis raises preterm birth risk by 10-20% and infertility; probiotics reduce BV/VVC recurrence by 50% and enhance IVF success by 40%. AI models predict IVF outcomes with 85% accuracy.
Conclusion:Modulation of the vaginal microbiome using probiotics, VMT, and rapid diagnostics (CRISPR, biosensors) represents a new frontier in infection prevention and fertility enhancement. Future research should focus on standardization, longitudinal studies, and environmental factors.
Keywords: vaginal microbiome, metagenomic diagnosis, infection prevention, reproductive health, probiotics, dysbiosis, next-generation sequencing, bacterial vaginosis, candidiasis, sexually transmitted infections, Lactobacillus, shotgun metagenomics.
Type of Study: Review |
Subject:
Microbiology
Received: 2025/10/29 | Accepted: 2026/04/26 | Published: 2026/06/2
Received: 2025/10/29 | Accepted: 2026/04/26 | Published: 2026/06/2
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