It’s not the first time I’ve inserted a tampon, but it’s the first time I’ve popped one in in between periods, pulled it out 20 minutes later and posted it off to a lab.
So what is the vaginal microbiome screening kit?
But while it looks, feels and acts like a tampon, it isn’t. I’m trialling the new at-home screening kit for the vaginal microbiome from Daye (of CBD tampon fame), to help me better understand my gynaecological health. For £89.95, the test claims to detect the presence of vaginal infections, evaluate your risk of contracting STIs and UTIs and identify if you’ll have issues conceiving or undergoing IVF.
Like most women, my vaginal education thus far has been limited to cervical smears and the odd STI test. But with the vaginal microbiome a key predictor of gynaecological health complications, becoming acquainted with your own can be useful.
So says Valentina Milanova, who, in addition to founding Daye, has a background in biomaterial engineering and nanomedicine – a branch of medicine focusing on using materials and devices for the prevention and treatment of disease.
And what’s the tech?
‘Studies from the 1980s showed that tampons were both more comfortable and more effective at collecting comprehensive samples from the vaginal canal than a standard swab, which covers a much smaller surface area,’ she explains. ‘But, for various reasons, it’s only been brought to patients now.’
And in a rare bit of positive PR for the pandemic, the at-home element has been enabled by PCR technology capacity being expanded in labs.
How does the screening work?
After completing a detailed questionnaire, offering up details such as the heaviness of my bleeds and my vagina’s scent, I insert the tampon, then post it in specially sealed, iced packaging. Days later, I get my results. The report confirms that my levels of Lactobacilli and anaerobic bacteria are positively in abundance, with my levels of other microorganisms in the normal range or – in the case of pathogenic microorganisms – ‘not detected’.
But while the process is about as seamless as a pair of Skims knickers, and a good deal more comfortable than a vaginal swab via a speculum, I wonder how helpful it is to focus on the vaginal microbiome – a question I put to Ashfaq Khan, gynaecologist and founder of Harley Street Gynaecology.
So, what does a gynaecologist say?
‘My concern is that the test highlights things that aren’t really affecting women’s health and that this could create unnecessary anxiety. For example, a positive result for bacterial vaginosis from an imbalance of “good” and “harmful” bacteria isn’t that helpful because research doesn’t yet fully understand what could be causing it.’
For those in the market for fertility data, he recommends a check-up of your ovarian reserves and hormone levels, as well as an STI test, rather than looking at microorganisms that could be a ‘very distant’ cause of the problem. And while results can be exported to show your GP, not all NHS doctors will act upon private samples.
If you require a prescription, Daye can issue one at a price that matches Superdrug and Boots. Need further support? A video consultation with a qualified PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome), endometriosis, menopause, microbiome or fertility specialist costs £30.
My take? The science might not be quite there yet, but I think Daye is doing something very cool in the gynaecological health space, while its recommendations (eg, adding more probiotic-rich foods to your diet and looking at ingredients in your lube) are evidence-based and easy to implement.
Its next mission is STI and HPV screening, and with female health historically neglected in terms of both research and investment, I’m here for the progress.
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