What grows down below?
New research shows friendly bacteria aren’t just important for our digestion – they can benefit vaginal health, too
THE EXPERT
DR MAYONI GOONERATNE is a general surgeon with a specialist interest in vaginal health (drmayoni.co.uk) and a guest doctor at Epilium & Skin (epilium.co.uk)
Having demonstrated the benefits of friendly bacteria to our gut health, microbiologists are now focusing their microscopes elsewhere. Researchers have known for some time that the vagina is host to trillions of microorganisms – a complex ecosystem of bacteria, fungi and viruses that thrive in the mucous membrane.
What we’re only just beginning to understand, however, is the profound impact the so-called vaginal microbiome has on female health. By helping to maintain the naturally acidic pH of the vagina and encouraging the production of mucus, these helpful microbes in the vagina essentially serve as the first line of defence against infections.