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Updated: Jan 28, 2026

Author Spotlight: Revolutionizing Research on Vaginal Microbiome Interactions Using a Vaginal Chip
Published on: February 16, 2024
Relationship between vitamin D status and the vaginal microbiome during pregnancy
Kimberly K Jefferson1, Hardik I Parikh1,2, Erin M Garcia1
1Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA.
Objective:
Evidence supports an inverse association between vitamin D and bacterial vaginosis (BV) during pregnancy. Furthermore, both the vaginal microbiome and vitamin D status correlate with pregnancy outcome. Women of African ancestry are more likely to experience BV, to be vitamin D deficient, and to have certain pregnancy complications. We investigated the association between vitamin D status and the vaginal microbiome.
Study Design:
Subjects were assigned to a treatment (4400 IU) or a control group (400 IU vitamin D daily), sampled three times during pregnancy, and vaginal 16S rRNA gene taxonomic profiles and plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentrations were examined.
Result:
Gestational age and ethnicity were significantly associated with the microbiome. Megasphaera correlated negatively (p = 0.0187) with 25(OH)D among women of African ancestry. Among controls, women of European ancestry exhibited a positive correlation between plasma 25(OH)D and L. crispatus abundance.
Conclusion:
Certain vaginal bacteria are associated with plasma 25(OH)D concentration.
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