Vagina News and Research

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Vaginal bacteria linked to premature birth

A new study published in the journal Frontiers in Microbiology in April 2020 reports that women who deliver early are more likely to have a greater variety of bacteria in their birth canals. The research also highlights specific bacteria that are associated with premature birth. This knowledge could help design tests to screen for high-risk pregnancies.

8 Apr 2020

Microbiome could help identify pre-cancer risk in women with HPV

A new study published in the open-access journal PLOS Pathogens in March 2020 reports the possible use of the bacteria Gardnerella found in the cervix and vagina of women with Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, as a marker of precancerous change. The findings could help to find new methods of treatment that involve inducing changes in the microbiome to arrest the course of the disease.

26 Mar 2020

First human vaginal non-redundant gene catalog released

University of Maryland School of Medicine's Institute for Genome Sciences researchers have created the first catalog of genes that comprise the community of microbes, which inhabit the human vagina.

26 Feb 2020

A high number of lifetime sexual partners raises cancer risk

A new study seems to reinforce traditional common sense and good morals: people who play around with sex tend to have a higher risk of cancer. The study published online in the journal BMJ Sexual and Reproductive Health in February 2020 shows that having ten or more sex partners increases the risk of cancer in both men and women. And in women, this pattern of sexual behavior increases the chances of a chronic debilitating illness.

13 Feb 2020

Study to evaluate safety of PrEP and dapivirine ring in pregnant women

A woman who is eight-months pregnant is the first participant to be enrolled into a study evaluating the safety and acceptability of two different HIV prevention approaches when used during pregnancy -- the monthly dapivirine vaginal ring, which is currently under regulatory review, and a daily antiretroviral (ARV) pill called Truvada, an approach already approved in several countries and commonly referred to as PrEP, short for pre-exposure prophylaxis.

10 Feb 2020

New clinical trial to examine the safety of dapivirine vaginal ring and PrEP in pregnant women

The first clinical trial specifically designed to test the safety of the monthly dapivirine vaginal ring in pregnant women has begun in southern and eastern Africa.

10 Feb 2020

New robot will assist surgeons during uterine operations

The project has been conducted in collaboration with the Gynaecology and Obstetrics Department, General Surgery, Urology and Thoracic Surgery of Valencia's General Hospital, through their Research Foundation and with the support of the Valencian Innovation Agency of Valencia's regional government, in the framework of a project to boost innovation in robotic surgery.

6 Feb 2020

What parents need to know about the HPV vaccine

The vaccine that prevents infection from human papillomavirus (HPV) is nothing short of a medical marvel.

28 Jan 2020

New ultrasound technique allows dolphin pregnancy evaluations to mirror those in humans

Ultrasound has been used for decades to study dolphin health and much of that work has been pioneered by veterinarians at the National Marine Mammal Foundation.

12 Jan 2020

Data results of NCI-MATCH trial in tumors with DNA mismatch repair deficiencies

Final results are published from an evaluation of 42 patients treated with the immune checkpoint inhibitor nivolumab in the large multi-arm precision medicine trial, NCI-Molecular Analysis for Therapy Choice (NCI-MATCH or EAY131).

20 Dec 2019

Rectal microbes could make a difference to the effectiveness of HIV vaccines

Microbes living in the rectum could make a difference to the effectiveness of experimental HIV vaccines, according to researchers at the University of California, Davis. The work is published Dec. 11 in the journal mSphere.

13 Dec 2019

Nano-sized vesicles released by bacteria may protect against HIV infection

Nano-sized vesicles released by certain bacteria that inhabit the vagina may protect against HIV infection, suggests a study of human cells and tissues by researchers at the National Institutes of Health and the University of Bologna, Italy. Known as extracellular vesicles, these bubble-like particles are produced by many kinds of cells and are thought to transport molecules from one cell to another.

11 Dec 2019

Preterm birth could be spotted early by ultrasound

A new presentation at the 178th Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America in San Diego will report on ultrasound as used in pregnancy, especially with respect to the comparison of two sets of data derived from two separate ultrasound techniques to evaluate cervical changes. The researchers claim that both ultrasound techniques help to estimate the attenuation coefficient of human cervical tissue, and to thus assess changes in it, providing a better picture of the true risk for preterm birth thereby.

4 Dec 2019

Cochrane review provides information on HPV vaccines and dose schedules in young women, men

New evidence published in the Cochrane Library today provides further information on the benefits and harms of different human papillomavirus vaccines and vaccine schedules in young women and men.

22 Nov 2019

Low libido in older women not just down to menopause

Menopause marks the end of a woman’s reproductive years. Along with it, comes various effects, including irregular to the complete cessation of periods, insomnia, mood swings, irritability, hot flushes, and decreased sexual drive.

20 Nov 2019

Embarrassing symptoms prevent women from seeking treatment for pelvic floor disorders

Nearly 25% of women live with treatable conditions known as pelvic floor disorders, but there is one main reason why the vast majority of them will not seek treatment: they are too embarrassed to talk about it.

20 Nov 2019

Vaccination against HIV can be counterproductive if it triggers the wrong type of immune response

A discovery could help immunologists design vaccines that are more effective in protecting against HIV infection.

20 Nov 2019

New light on the essential reproductive role of the clitoris

A new study focuses on the role of the clitoris in females, showing that when it is stimulated, it triggers a wave of changes within the rest of the reproductive tract. The outcome of these changes confers on the clitoris not only recreative but also reproductive importance, according to the studies.

10 Nov 2019

Effective non-surgical treatment options for urinary incontinence

A common myth about urinary incontinence (the loss of bladder control or urinary leakage) in women is that surgery is your only option.

10 Nov 2019

Feminine hygiene or female threat?

A new research article published in the Journal of Women's Health indicates dangerous levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the blood of women using feminine hygiene products (FHPs). The most strongly linked products are feminine powder and vaginal douching products.

30 Oct 2019