The Vaginal Microbiome and Fertility: Biomegil

• Vaginal Microbiome | Advantages of a Healthy Microbiome | Balance Vaginal Microbiome

The Vaginal Microbiome?

If you’re unsure of what the vaginal microbiome is or does, it functions similar to the gut microbiome, but plays a heavier role in reproduction. The human microbiome is made up of millions of tiny microorganisms that are vital for health as they aid in numerous bodily processes, including immune system function, infection prevention, and nutrient metabolism.

The vaginal microbiome accomplishes these as well but takes it a step further. The vaginal-specific species enhance fertility, support healthy pregnancies, and minimize the risk of infection. More importantly, the vaginal microbiome is extremely important to general health as well.

Vaginal Microbiome Changes with Age

As women age, their vaginal microbiome makeup will change and constantly fluctuate. Hormonal changes brought on by puberty, pregnancy, postpartum, and menopause have a significant impact on the composition of the vaginal microbiome. Adding to this, the hormones oestrogen and progesterone that regulate menstrual cycles also influence the vaginal microbiome.

These hormones impact the barriers that protect the vaginal tract, including the viscosity of the monthly discharge, the thickness of the endometrial lining, immune system cell health and function, and the vaginal microbiome. When these hormones are out of balance, dysbiosis can occur and throw the whole reproductive system out of whack.

Why Bacteria Species Matter in the Vaginal Microbiome

The vaginal microbiome is quite unique. Its general makeup is often overlooked as it related to both general health and fertility. If and when the vaginal microbiome is in a state of dysbiosis, which is an imbalance of good and bad bacteria species, it can be a major factor in infertility, miscarriage occurrence, endometriosis, preterm births, chronic urinary tract infections, and bacterial vaginosis. It’s crucial to know the health status of your vaginal microbiome, including its pH level, makeup, and overall health

What Does a Healthy Vaginal Microbiome Look Like?

Lactobacillus is a family of microbial species that utilize glycogen (glucose storage form) produced by the cells that makeup the walls in the vagina. This species dominates a healthy vaginal microbiome. When lactobacillus metabolize glycogen, lactic acid is produced, which balances the pH in the vagina. Fun fact: a normal, healthy vaginal pH hovers around 4.5. A slightly acidic pH promotes the growth of beneficial bacteria while inhibiting the growth of pathogens. Some of the harmful pathogenic species found in the vaginal tract have been liked to approximately 30% of the infertility cases in women.

A healthy, balanced vaginal microbiome is essential for proper implantation of an embryo to the uterine wall. When this balance is disrupted, it can decrease the chance of conception. Staying hydrated, wearing underwear made with breathable fabric (e.g., cotton), using the restroom after intercourse, and minimizing the time you wear a wet bathing suit are just a few simple strategies to protect your vaginal microbiome.

Advantages of a Healthy Microbiome

• Boosts Fertility
• Lowers Sperm Immunity (immune system that attacks sperm)
• Decreases the Risk of STI’s (sexually transmitted infections)
• Minimizes the Risk of UTI’s (urinary tract infections)
• Reduces the Risk of Cervical Cancer

Causes of an Imbalanced Vaginal Microbiome

There can be an imbalance in the vaginal microbiome – referred to as vaginal dysbiosis – when there aren’t enough lactobacilli species present in its makeup to inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria species. Vaginal dysbiosis is frequently brought on by infections, which produce unpleasant symptoms like itchiness, burning, and pain.

Factors that can disrupt the balance of your vaginal microbiome include:

• Antibiotics
• Spermicides
• Excessive Douching
• Hormonal Imbalance
• Smoking
• Diet
• Diaphragm Use
• Stress
• Cadida (Thrush)
• Bacterial Vaginosis
• Pregnancy

Supporting a Healthy, Balance Vaginal Microbiome

The vaginal microbiome is diverse and evolves with time. Sex, diet, hormones, pregnancy, and menopause are all factors that can disrupt the delicate balance that preserves the health and function of the vaginal microbiome. Supplements like Biomegil help with restoring the vaginal environment by supporting the growth of healthy bacteria species, balancing the microbiome, and a reestablishing a natural, slightly acidic pH level.

Women who suffer from recurrent gastrointestinal health problems frequently have an unbalanced gut microbiome, which increases the risk of an unbalanced vaginal microbiome. As a result, these women are at a greater risk of developing UTI’s and vaginal infections like bacterial vaginosis and thrush. Because of this, it’s essential that you are taking the necessary steps to support a healthy vaginal microbiome. This can be accomplished by taking a supplement like Biomegil.

Biomegil offers a potent formula with 75 billion CFU of probiotic strains, including Lactobacillus Crispatus. The Lactobacilli bacterial family in general is advantageous for vaginal health and microbiome balance. A healthy female vaginal microbiome is dominated by lactobacillus species, especially L. crispatus. These bacteria support a healthy, balanced vaginal microbiome and promote the growth of beneficial bacterial species. They also minimize the risk of developing UTI’s and STI’s.
L. crispatus also create a slightly acidic environment by producing lactic acid that balances the vaginal pH and inhibits the growth of harmful species and promotes the growth of beneficial species. This is beneficial as an imbalanced vaginal microbiome increases the risk of infertility and other pregnancy complications like preterm deliveries.

Because Biomegil is one of a few probiotic supplements that contains the unique vaginal strain Lactobacillus Crispatus, supplementing helps support a healthy, balanced vaginal microbiome and may improve pregnancy and delivery outcomes. Adding to this, Biomegil can help restore healthy populations of vaginal-specific bacteria strains to better support a naturally acidic environment and inhibit growth of pathogens that can negatively impact vaginal and uterine health.

Final Thoughts

Every woman’s vaginal microbiome is unique. Learning about your vaginal microbiome can prove advantageous for many reasons. First and foremost, if you are struggling with fertility issues, it may be worthwhile to take a look at your vaginal microbiome and pH levels. Seek treatment if an underlying infection is present or rebalance your vaginal microbiome through a high-quality supplement like Biomegil.

Given the uniqueness of your vaginal microbiome, your individual therapy options may differ based on your specific need. Because of this, it’s crucial that you speak to your healthcare provider if you feel you are experiencing difficulties in getting pregnant. Interested in learning more? Speak to one of our wellness specialists today who are available to assist you in answering any questions you have about your general health and/or vaginal microbiome and fertility.

References

Li, P., Wei, K., He, X., Zhang, L., Liu, Z., Wei, J., … & Chen, T. (2021). Vaginal Probiotic Lactobacillus crispatus Seems to Inhibit Sperm Activity and Subsequently Reduces Pregnancies in Rat. Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology, 2116.

Van Der Veer, C., Hertzberger, R. Y., Bruisten, S. M., Tytgat, H. L., Swanenburg, J., de Kat Angelino-Bart, A., … & Kort, R. (2019). Comparative genomics of human Lactobacillus crispatus isolates reveals genes for glycosylation and glycogen degradation: implications for in vivo dominance of the vaginal microbiota. Microbiome, 7(1), 1-14.

Lazzeri, E., Governini, L., Cuppone, A. M., Colombini, L., Teodori, L., Ciprandi, G., … & Pozzi, G. (2022). Vaginal colonization of women after oral administration of Lactobacillus crispatus strain NTCVAG04 from the human microbiota. Minerva Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Wright, M. L., Fettweis, J. M., Eaves, L. J., Silberg, J. L., Neale, M. C., Serrano, M. G., … & Buck, G. A. (2021). Vaginal microbiome Lactobacillus crispatus is heritable among European American women. Communications Biology, 4(1), 1-6.

Abdelmaksoud, A. A., Koparde, V. N., Sheth, N. U., Serrano, M. G., Glascock, A. L., Fettweis, J. M., Strauss, J. F., Buck, G. A., & Jefferson, K. K. (2016). Comparison of Lactobacillus crispatus isolates from Lactobacillus-dominated vaginal microbiomes with isolates from microbiomes containing bacterial vaginosis-associated bacteria. Microbiology (Reading, England), 162(3), 466–475.

Armstrong, E., Hemmerling, A., Miller, S., Burke, K. E., Newmann, S. J., Morris, S. R., … & Kaul, R. (2022). Sustained effect of LACTIN-V (Lactobacillus crispatus CTV-05) on genital immunology following standard bacterial vaginosis treatment: results from a randomised, placebo-controlled trial. The Lancet Microbe.

Eggert-Kruse, W., Köhler, A., Rohr, G., & Runnebaum, B. (1993). The pH as an important determinant of sperm-mucus interaction. Fertility and sterility, 59(3), 617–628.

Vitale, S. G., Ferrari, F., Ciebiera, M., Zgliczyńska, M., Rapisarda, A. M. C., Vecchio, G. M., Pino, A., Angelico, G., Knafel, A., Riemma, G., De Franciscis, P., & Cianci, S. (2021). The Role of Genital Tract Microbiome in Fertility: A Systematic Review. International journal of molecular sciences, 23(1), 180.

Xu, J., Bian, G., Zheng, M., Lu, G., Chan, W. Y., Li, W., Yang, K., Chen, Z. J., & Du, Y. (2020). Fertility factors affect the vaginal microbiome in women of reproductive age. American journal of reproductive immunology (New York, N.Y. : 1989), 83(4), e13220.