Why am I only just hearing about the vaginal microbiome?

The vaginal microbiome and its impact on women’s health and fertility is only just being unraveled. Research in this space has lagged behind the gut microbiome but very recent work is showing its importance in things like infections, fertility, and preterm birth. A healthy vaginal microbiota can help to prevent urogenital conditions such as sexually transmitted infections (STI), vaginal infections, urinary tract infections, and bacterial vaginosis.