Vaginal Flora in Postmenopausal Women: The Effect of Estrogen Replacement

Authors

Paul D. Ginkel, Virginia Commonwealth University
David E. Soper, Virginia Commonwealth University
Richard C. Bump, Virginia Commonwealth University

Document Type

Article

Original Publication Date

1993

Journal/Book/Conference Title

Infectious Diseases in Obstetrics and Gynecology

DOI of Original Publication

10.1155/S1064744993000225

Comments

Originally published at http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/S1064744993000225

Date of Submission

August 2014

Abstract

Objective:To determine the effect of estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) on the vaginal flora of postmenopausal women.

Methods: Vaginal cultures were obtained from 15 postmenopausal women whose hormonal statuses were documented by serum follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and serum estrogen levels. After 8 weeks of ERT, consisting of 0.1 mg of estradiol delivered daily by dermal patch, the vaginal cultures were repeated, as were measurements of the vaginal pH, serum FSH, and serum estrogen levels.

Results: Vaginal cultures revealed no significant change in the incidence of lactobacilli or of all aerobes. However, the incidence of anaerobic species fell after treatment from 47% to 13% (P = 0.05), and the incidence of anaerobic gram-negative rods declined after treatment from 40% prior to ERT to 7% (P = 0.035). Prior to ERT, the difference in mean vaginal pH between lactobacilli-positive and lactobacilli-negative subjects was not significant, but, following the administration of exogenous estrogen, the lactobacilli-positive subjects exhibited a significantly lower mean vaginal pH (4.4 ± 0.4) relative to the lactobacilli-negative population (5.2 ± 0.3) (P = 0.02).

Conclusions: We conclude that women on ERT are less likely to have vaginal colonization with anaerobic bacteria when compared with women not using replacement therapy. Estrogen replacement may potentiate the effect of lactobacilli on vaginal pH.

Rights

Copyright © 1993 Hindawi Publishing Corporation. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Is Part Of

VCU Obstetrics and Gynecology Publications