Comparison of vaginal microbiota between women of childbearing age stratified by the age of 35 years

Objective To investigate the differences in vaginal microbiota between women of childbearing age stratified by the age of 35 years, and to provide guidance for the reproductive health of women. Methods A total of 2 683 women of childbearing age who underwent routine physical examination and vaginal microbiota assessment in Center for Reproductive Medicine, Shandong University, from January 2016 to December 2018 were enrolled as subjects, and according to the age, they were all divided <35 years group (group A) and 35-49 years group (group B). The vaginal microbiota were compared between the two groups. Results There were significant differences between groups A and B in the proportion of women with balanced vaginal microbiota, bacterial vaginosis (BV), abnormal dominant bacteria, abnormal pH value, abnormal cleanliness, abnormal sialidase, abnormal Nugent scores, or leukocyte esterase abnormalities, as well as microbial diversity and density (Z=3.94,χ2=5.70-29.43,P<0.05). There were no significant differences between the two groups in the proportion of women with abnormal H2O2, N-acetylglucosaminidase, or proline aminopeptidase (P>0.05). Conclusion Compared with the women of childbearing age younger than 35 years, those aged ≥35 years have a higher incidence rate of vaginal microbiota dysbiosis, mainly characterized by an increase in the prevalence rate of BV, impaired vaginal acidic environment, and an increase in the proportion of women with abnormal dominant bacteria.