Vaginal Microbiome: Implications for Women’s Health (Women’s Health Research Roundtable)

The Women’s Health Research Roundtable is a webinar series hosted by the NIH Office of Research on Women’s Health (ORWH). This series elevates evidence-based research that explores how social, economic, racial, and geographic factors influence health outcomes. The next session is titled “The Vaginal Microbiome: Implications for Women’s Health and Disease.” The session will feature presentations by Anuja Dokras, M.D., MHCI, Ph.D., and Mary Kimmel, M.D., Ph.D.

Dr. Dokras will discuss the vaginal microbiome in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). She brings extensive research experience in translation medicine and clinical trials with a focus on understanding cardiometabolic risk and mental health comorbidities associated with PCOS. Dr. Kimmel will discuss the microbiome’s influence on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) and hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian (HPO) axes and will explore future directions to support maternal mental health through microbiome-informed strategies. She will also share findings from a study of pregnant women in North Carolina and Sweden that examined how gut microbiome diversity and function relate to depression and anxiety during pregnancy and the postpartum period.
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