Scientists create 'vagina on a chip' for research

Scientists at the Wyss Institute at Harvard University have created a "vagina on a chip".

The vaginal microbiome is unique to everyone, according to board certified OB/GYN Monte Swarup, MD. Changes in the microbiome can be caused by hormones and can result in infections. Vaginosis and vulvovaginal candidiasis are two of the most common issues that can happen.

Antibiotics can be used to treat the disease. It can lead to more serious problems. It increases the risk of pre-term birth in pregnant people and increases the risk of sexually transmitted infections if left unaddressed. If you're worried about any vaginal infections, you should see your doctor.

Vaginal health is difficult to study in a laboratory because of the differences in the human and lab animals' microbiomes. The vagina on a chip was created in order to have a model of the human microbiome in a lab setting. Human vaginal tissue from donors is contained in the chip.

According to Scientific American, other organs have been "chipped" in order to be studied. Even though chips have limitations, they have the potential to push research forward. The New York Times said that the vaginal microbiome and infections are under studied. Researchers said there was a lack of funding for this. Thevagina chip may be the first step in changing that.