Vaginal, Cervical and Uterine pH in Women with Normal and Abnormal Vaginal Microbiota
Introduction: Healthy women of reproductive age have a vaginal pH around 4.5, whereas little is known about pH in the upper genital tract. A shift in the vaginal microbiota may result in an elevated pH in the upper genital tract. This might contribute to decreased fertility and increased risk of pre...
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doaj-3d09a49d2cdc4b8d9edc64b0d1c1f55c2021-01-21T00:02:20ZengMDPI AGPathogens2076-08172021-01-0110909010.3390/pathogens10020090Vaginal, Cervical and Uterine pH in Women with Normal and Abnormal Vaginal MicrobiotaMalene Risager Lykke0Naja Becher1Thor Haahr2Ebbe Boedtkjer3Jørgen Skov Jensen4Niels Uldbjerg5Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Aarhus University Hospital, DK-8200 Aarhus, DenmarkDepartment of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University Hospital, DK-8200 Aarhus, DenmarkDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Aarhus University Hospital, DK-8200 Aarhus, DenmarkDepartment of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, DK-8000 Aarhus, DenmarkResearch Unit for Reproductive Microbiology, Statens Serum Institut, DK-2300 Copenhagen, DenmarkDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Aarhus University Hospital, DK-8200 Aarhus, DenmarkIntroduction: Healthy women of reproductive age have a vaginal pH around 4.5, whereas little is known about pH in the upper genital tract. A shift in the vaginal microbiota may result in an elevated pH in the upper genital tract. This might contribute to decreased fertility and increased risk of preterm birth. Therefore, we aimed to measure pH in different compartments of the female genital tract in both nonpregnant and pregnant women, stratifying into a normal and abnormal vaginal microbiota. Material and methods: In this descriptive study, we included 6 nonpregnant, 12 early-pregnant, and 8 term-pregnant women. A pH gradient was recorded with a flexible pH probe. An abnormal vaginal microbiota was diagnosed by a quantitative polymerase chain reaction technique for <i>Atopobium</i><i> </i><i>vaginae</i>;<i> </i><i>Sneathia</i><i> </i><i>sanguinegens</i>; <i>Leptotrichia</i><i> </i><i>amnionii</i>; bacterial vaginosis-associated bacterium 1, 2, 3, and TM7; and <i>Prevotella</i> spp. among others. Results: In all participants we found the pH gradient in the lower reproductive canal to be most acidic in the lower vagina and most alkaline in the upper uterine cavity. Women with an abnormal vaginal microbiota had an increased pH in the lower vagina compared to the other groups. Conclusions: There is a pronounced pH gradient within the female genital tract. This gradient is not disrupted in women with an abnormal vaginal microbiota.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/10/2/90abnormal vaginal microbiotabacterial vaginosiscervical mucus plugfemale reproductive tractvaginal pHvaginal physiology |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Malene Risager Lykke Naja Becher Thor Haahr Ebbe Boedtkjer Jørgen Skov Jensen Niels Uldbjerg |
spellingShingle |
Malene Risager Lykke Naja Becher Thor Haahr Ebbe Boedtkjer Jørgen Skov Jensen Niels Uldbjerg Vaginal, Cervical and Uterine pH in Women with Normal and Abnormal Vaginal Microbiota Pathogens abnormal vaginal microbiota bacterial vaginosis cervical mucus plug female reproductive tract vaginal pH vaginal physiology |
author_facet |
Malene Risager Lykke Naja Becher Thor Haahr Ebbe Boedtkjer Jørgen Skov Jensen Niels Uldbjerg |
author_sort |
Malene Risager Lykke |
title |
Vaginal, Cervical and Uterine pH in Women with Normal and Abnormal Vaginal Microbiota |
title_short |
Vaginal, Cervical and Uterine pH in Women with Normal and Abnormal Vaginal Microbiota |
title_full |
Vaginal, Cervical and Uterine pH in Women with Normal and Abnormal Vaginal Microbiota |
title_fullStr |
Vaginal, Cervical and Uterine pH in Women with Normal and Abnormal Vaginal Microbiota |
title_full_unstemmed |
Vaginal, Cervical and Uterine pH in Women with Normal and Abnormal Vaginal Microbiota |
title_sort |
vaginal, cervical and uterine ph in women with normal and abnormal vaginal microbiota |
publisher |
MDPI AG |
series |
Pathogens |
issn |
2076-0817 |
publishDate |
2021-01-01 |
description |
Introduction: Healthy women of reproductive age have a vaginal pH around 4.5, whereas little is known about pH in the upper genital tract. A shift in the vaginal microbiota may result in an elevated pH in the upper genital tract. This might contribute to decreased fertility and increased risk of preterm birth. Therefore, we aimed to measure pH in different compartments of the female genital tract in both nonpregnant and pregnant women, stratifying into a normal and abnormal vaginal microbiota. Material and methods: In this descriptive study, we included 6 nonpregnant, 12 early-pregnant, and 8 term-pregnant women. A pH gradient was recorded with a flexible pH probe. An abnormal vaginal microbiota was diagnosed by a quantitative polymerase chain reaction technique for <i>Atopobium</i><i> </i><i>vaginae</i>;<i> </i><i>Sneathia</i><i> </i><i>sanguinegens</i>; <i>Leptotrichia</i><i> </i><i>amnionii</i>; bacterial vaginosis-associated bacterium 1, 2, 3, and TM7; and <i>Prevotella</i> spp. among others. Results: In all participants we found the pH gradient in the lower reproductive canal to be most acidic in the lower vagina and most alkaline in the upper uterine cavity. Women with an abnormal vaginal microbiota had an increased pH in the lower vagina compared to the other groups. Conclusions: There is a pronounced pH gradient within the female genital tract. This gradient is not disrupted in women with an abnormal vaginal microbiota. |
topic |
abnormal vaginal microbiota bacterial vaginosis cervical mucus plug female reproductive tract vaginal pH vaginal physiology |
url |
https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/10/2/90 |
work_keys_str_mv |
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