Researchers explore vaginal microbiome to transform women’s health diagnostics

Korean researchers have taken a step closer to developing more objective diagnostic methods for women’s health by analyzing changes in vaginal microbiome patterns.

Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital announced that Professor Park Sun-hwa of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology has presented the possibility of personalized medicine for women through vaginal microbiome analysis, providing an objective and accurate diagnosis of women's health.

According to the research results, an imbalance in Lactobacillus, a major beneficial bacterium in the vagina, and an increase in harmful bacteria are closely associated with bacterial vaginosis, sexually transmitted infections, premature birth, infertility, endometriosis, cervical cancer, and menopausal disorders.

The paper emphasized that a system capable of early diagnosis and treatment based on microbiome change patterns could fundamentally improve women's health when applied clinically.

It also projected that non-invasive and precise diagnosis could overcome the limitations of existing diagnostic methods.

“I frequently witness cases where women’s reproductive health is threatened due to inaccurate diagnoses in clinical settings,” Professor Park said. “Vaginal microbiome analysis can play a significant role in fields, including preterm birth and infertility, where early diagnosis and precise intervention are critical. The application of such diagnostic technologies could provide substantial benefits to women’s health.”

Park served as a co-author in the section on preterm birth and pregnancy complications in this paper.

The study, titled “The untapped potential of vaginal microbiome diagnostics in improving women's health,” was published in the international academic journal, Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology.

This study was conducted as an international joint research project proposed by the U.K. Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), with participation from King’s College Hospital in London and the University of Liverpool.

Additionally, Park Suenie, CEO of BioWave W, a company based in the open laboratory at Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital, participated in the study, helping to establish a collaborative research model between the hospital and a medical device company. BioWave W is a developer of a microbiome-based in vitro diagnostic medical device for the early diagnosis of preterm birth.