Vaginal microbiome towards personalized medicine in women's health: a narrative review
Keywords:
Vaginal Microbiome; Dysbiosis; Personalized Medicine; Probiotics; Women's Health; Cervical CancerAbstract
Introduction: The vaginal microbiome is a dynamic ecosystem dominated by Lactobacillus spp., whose disruption is associated with infections, obstetric complications and possible neoplastic progression.
Objective: Describe the composition, functions and alterations of the vaginal microbiome, and argue the need to integrate its analysis into gynecological practice towards personalized medicine.
Methods: Narrative review based on search in PubMed, SciELO, Scopus and Web of Science (2021 2026). Meta-analyses, clinical trials and systematic reviews were prioritized. 43 sources were selected, of which 23 are cited for their relevance and level of evidence.
Results: The healthy vaginal microbiome presents low diversity with a predominance of L. crispatus, L. iners, L. gasseri or L. jensenii. Dysbiosis, defined by loss of lactobacilli and increase of anaerobes (Gardnerella, Prevotella, Atopobium), increases the risk of bacterial vaginosis, preterm birth, HPV infection and progression to cervical neoplasia. Specific probiotics and vaginal microbiota transfer emerge as promising modulatory strategies.
Conclusions: Incorporating vaginal microbiome analysis into clinical practice (scalable through next-generation sequencing) would allow personalized interventions in prevention and treatment. Local studies are required in Cuban and Latin American populations.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Yalianne Novo-Álvarez , Danamirys Valdés-Espino , Karen Oviedo-Pérez, Ardyn Concepción González-Morales
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