Implications of the vaginal microbiome and potential restorative strategies on maternal health: a narrative review

Abstract The vaginal microbiome undergoes dramatic shifts before and throughout pregnancy. Although the genetic environmental factors that regulate have yet to be fully elucidated, high-throughput sequencing has provided an unprecedented opportunity interrogate as a potential source of next-generation therapeutics. Accumulating data demonstrates health during pregnancy includes commensal bacteria such Lactobacillus serve reduce pH prevent pathogenic invasion. Vaginal microbes been studied contributors several conditions occurring pregnancy, emerging topic in women’s is finding ways alter restore microbiome. Among these restorations, perhaps most significant effect could preterm labor (PTL) prevention. Since bacterial vaginosis (BV) known increase risk PTL, oral probiotics are effective supplemental treatments for BV prevention, therapeutic benefit exists pregnant women at PTL. A new method restoration, transplants (VMTs) involves transfer one cervicovaginal secretions another. New studies investigating recurrent will determine if VMTs can safely establish healthy -dominant In cases, caution must taken attributing disease state dysbiosis with causal relationship, since underlying reason usually unknown. This review focuses on impact microflora maternal outcomes including gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, infertility. It then reviews clinical evidence focused restoration strategies, VMTs.