Some penis microbes may increase the risk of vaginal infections after penetrative sex
- A new study found that 10 types of bacteria found on men's penises were predictors in whether their female partners developed bacterial vaginosis.
- Bacterial vaginosis is a vaginal infection that affects 1 in 3 women. Experts are unsure what exactly causes bacterial vaginosis.
- The researchers said that their study suggests men's sexual health and women's are inextricably linked, and that heterosexual couples should work together to promote each other's sexual wellbeing.
Women may have a higher risk of vaginal bacterial infection after penetrative sex with men, depending on the type of microbiota on their partner's penis, a study has found.
Bacterial vaginosis is a type of vaginal bacterial infection that affects 1 in 3 women, but, according to the CDC, health experts are still unsure what causes it.
For the study, University of Illinois at Chicago researchers looked at 168 heterosexual couples in Kenya over a year. Just over half (56%) of the men they studied had circumcised penises, and circumcision status can affect the amount and types of bacteria on a penis.
None of the women had bacterial vaginosis at the start of the study. The researchers found that 31% of the women in the study developed bacterial vaginosis during the year-long trial.
In addition to testing the bacteria in the women's vaginas, they also examined each man's penile microbiota during the initial screening and three follow-up appointments.
The researchers concluded that the men were a defining factor in the women's risk of infection. They identified 10 species of penile bacteria that appeared to increase a woman's risk of BV. The men who carried on their penis one or more of the 10 species, his female partner was more likely to develop bacterial vaginosis.
Men should be involved in women's reproductive health
The study's findings don't mean a man's penis causes bacterial vaginosis in women, according to Dr. Supriya Mehta, lead study author and an epidemiologist at University of Illinois at Chicago.
But his team's findings suggest male and female sexual health are inextricably linked, especially for heterosexual couples.
"I would like for clinicians, researchers, and the public to be inclusive of male sex partners in their efforts to improve women's reproductive health," Mehta said in a statement. "Not to place directionality or blame on one partner or another, but to increase the options and opportunity for improved reproductive health, and hopefully reduce stigma from BV."
There were caveats to this study. Only 46% of the 168 couples attended all four doctor's office visits during the year-long trial, so the researchers have incomplete data for some couples, which could cause skewed results. Additionally, the researchers looked at a small sample of only Kenyan couples who were heterosexual, so the results may not be applicable on a universal scale, across countries, cultures, and sexualities.
Mehta said more research should be done to determine how men can look after their own genital health to protect the genital health of women with whom they're sexually active.
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