Could CONDOMS boost vaginal health?

Study finds they increase levels of friendly bacteria and prevent minor infections

It’s not just the gut that benefits from friendly bacteria, a person’s more intimate regions do too - and condoms have been found to boost levels in women’s vaginas.

A study has revealed that sexually active women who used condoms have greater quantities of beneficial bacteria called Lactobacillus compared to other forms of contraception.

Possessing healthy levels of the bacteria in that part of the body is associated with a lower incidence of itchiness and even a lower chance of being infected with HIV.

The scientists focused on lactobacillus, a group of bacteria that dominates the natural flora of the vagina for many women.

The microbes, which produce lactic acid and hydrogen peroxide, help the vagina maintain an average pH of 4.5, similarto the acidity of beer or tomato juice. 

This 'acidic buffer system', as the researchers called it, is thought to block harmful bacteria from taking up residence and causing infections.

Though there may not be a 'normal' microbiome for a healthy vagina, the presence of lactobacillus is thought to help prevent bacterial vaginosis, which is an imbalance of vaginal bacteria that causes itching, unusual discharge and unpleasant smell. 

Beneficial bacteria have even been linked to a decreased risk of HIV infection.

The researchers found that the population of lactobacillus was significantly higher in the condom group.

Sexual activity can disrupt the balance of the vagina's ecosystem, especially when semen (which has a pH of 7.0 to 8.0) enters the mix, the researchers said.

The results suggest that condoms can help the vagina maintain its natural acidic defenses, the researchers said.