Vaginal Secretions with Age

Reference work entry
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Abstract

Vaginal secretions are influenced by the dynamics of female hormones as well as local pathology. As an intended defense against infection, secretions contain innate “natural antibiotic” chemicals that at least regulate normal vaginal flora. Anaerobic metabolism of glucose into lactate by the genital tract epithelium as well as anaerobic or facultative microbes maintains a mildly acidic pH that is important for normal skin metabolism. Characteristic changes in the exfoliated epithelial content of vaginal secretions can indicate local inflammatory skin disorders such as mucus membrane graft vs host disease, lichen planus, lichen simplex, or lichen sclerosus.

Keywords

Vaginal secretions Vaginal pH Innate vaginal immunity Vaginal dermatopathology Lactobacillus 
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Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2017

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.University of Utah School of MedicineSalt Lake CityUSA

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