Effect of Contraceptive Methods on the Vaginal Microbiome and Host Immune Factors

(Abstracted from Contraception 2025:148:110936, doi:10.1016/j.contraception.2025.110936) Nearly 50% of women globally who are of childbearing age use contraception; although this practice is very common, the effects of different contraceptive methods on the vaginal microbiome are understudied and unclear. Previous studies have characterized the microbiome and have shown that certain bacteria can be protective against specific infections or can be related to certain gynecologic and obstetric outcomes, but studies examining disruptions to the microbiome are scarce.