Improving menstrual and vaginal health for all (IMVAHA): protocol for a randomised cross-over trial assessing the impact of menstrual products on the vaginal microbiome of women aged 18-35 years in Cameroon, Peru and Switzerland.
Ticlla MR, Dumbaugh M, Condori-Catachura S, Kenfack J, Hattendorf J
Human Health
This article does not contain plant science content; it is a human clinical trial on menstrual health and has no relevance to gardens, crops, soil, or ecology.
Researchers are running a 7-month study where 300 women rotate through three types of menstrual products to see how each affects the natural bacterial communities in the vagina. The study spans three countries to capture different cultural and environmental contexts. This is entirely a human health study with no plant science component.
Key Findings
300 women (100 per country) will be enrolled in a crossover trial across Cameroon, Peru, and Switzerland
Each participant uses pads, tampons, and menstrual cups for 2 menstrual cycles each, with vaginal swabs analyzed via 16S rRNA sequencing
Primary outcome is microbiome composition ratio; secondary outcomes include pH, toxic shock syndrome bacteria screening, and participant-reported symptoms
chevron_right Technical Summary
This clinical trial protocol describes a study testing how different menstrual products (pads, tampons, menstrual cups) affect the vaginal microbiome of women across Cameroon, Peru, and Switzerland — with no connection to plant science.
Abstract Preview
Menstrual health is critical to achieving gender equity and reaching the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, yet evidence on the health impacts of menstrual products-particularly on the vaginal mic...
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