Microbiota and Women’s Health

Abstract

All our genes together are called genomes. The Human Genome Project (HGP), an international collaborative research program, was conducted to fully map and understand the human genome. The sum of the genes of all microorganisms closely related to our genome is called microbiome. Following the completion of the Human Genome Project (HGP), the Human Microbiome Project (HMP) was conducted in which all microorganisms in different anatomical regions of our body were investigated. In this review, microbiome characteristics of oral cavity, skin, nasal cavity, digestive system and urogenital regions of donors in HMP studies were discussed. Special attention was paid to current microbiome research on women and child health. In the Integrative Human Microbiome Project (iHMP), which is considered as the continuation of HMP, pregnancy and preterm birth constitute one of the three main topics, which shows the importance given to women and child health. It was reported in the findings of HMP that there was no core microbiome in the urogenital microbiota, but the dysbiosis that occurred had a negative effect on the health of women and children. More and more evidence shows that human microbiome plays important role in human health and disease. In this context, it is provided that human microbiome research will be transformed into individual diagnostic, therapeutic and preventive applications in the field of health.

Keywords: Microbiota, Urogenital microbiota, Pregnancy, Neonatal

DOI: 10.7176/JSTR/6-01-04