The vagina is a dynamic organ. For example, the many biological changes that occur throughout the menstrual cycle.
It also has its own microenvironment, a carefully balanced microbiome containing billions of bacteria. And we are only just beginning to understand the role this plays in vaginal, reproductive and public health.
The vagina’s potential as a route for diagnostics and therapeutics has largely been ignored. But now, scientists, doctors, and pharma companies have started to look at the organ in a new way.
As it can be easily self-accessed, the vagina allows for intervention anytime, anywhere. There is no need for hospital visits or invasive procedures. This gives women the benefit of near complete independence and continuous monitoring or treatment.
New developments mean the vagina could provide an easy route for delivering medication.
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Also, menstrual blood collected in the vagina has great potential as a diagnostic tool.
Research is currently looking at how to use menstrual blood to detect diseases such as endometriosis, which affects 10 per cent of women. It is a chronic condition, causing significant pain and infertility, and currently takes an average of seven years to diagnose.
