Magazine
Image
Women’s Microbiome 1 - September 2025
4 billion! Four billion women in the world – and just as much diversity! It’s paradoxical when we know that, unlike the gut microbiota, the vaginal microbiota seems ‘optimal’ when it’s not very diverse (about 200 species of bacteria) and is dominated by a small number of Lactobacillus species. Since so few patients know about this distinct quality (and one cannot blame them), how many of them even know that they have a vaginal microbiota? According to the latest survey by the International Microbiota Observatory and conducted with the help of Ipsos, only 1 in 5 women claims to know precisely what it is.
This knowledge deficit is not anecdotal. It reflects a triple blind spot – historical, cultural, and medical. It is not easy to emerge from centuries of obscurantism, prejudices, and taboos, especially since women have long been underrepresented in clinical research. In 2009, they accounted for only 38% of all participants included in study cohorts, despite representing nearly 50% of the general population1.
Even today, discussion about the women’s microbiota remains largely absent from medical consultations, despite its proven role in various pathologies such as endometriosis, recurrent urinary tract infections, or fertility disorders.
This first issue of the Women’s Microbiome Mag is a modest contribution towards repositioning the female microbiota (vulvar, intestinal, urinary, peri-anal, etc.) to the heart of medical practice and to provide new frameworks, supported by committed experts, to better understand, diagnose, and support patients. At the same time, we seek to answer some crucial questions.
Why is the vaginal microbiota “optimal” when it is low in diversity? How does it behave throughout the menstrual cycle? What are the links between intestinal microbiota, endometriosis, and digestive disorders? And if we are to treat women better, do we also need to pay attention to the microbiota of their partners? This magazine does not claim to cover everything (more will follow), but it does hope to increase focus on the importance of the women’s microbiome.
To inform without simplifying, to educate without dogma, that is the ambition.
Most of all, the Women’s Microbiome Mag seeks to convince healthcare professionals and patients of the crucial role of the female microbiota in women’s health.
Happy reading!
Lay public section
Find here your dedicated section
Created
24 July 2025
Updated
02 September 2025