4 vaginal pH tests for at-home use

The vagina is a slightly acidic environment, with a pH of less than 4.5. Higher pH levels allow bacteria and yeasts to thrive, and this can result in bacterial and yeast infections. Vaginal pH tests measure the acidity of the vagina on a scale of 1–14, with lower readings indicating greater acidity. They can help indicate whether vaginal symptoms may be due to an infection that requires treatment. This article describes what a vaginal pH test is and lists some of the best at-home vaginal pH tests available. We also provide information on when to get a vaginal pH test, how to choose the best one, and what to do if vaginal pH levels are outside the normal range. Finally, we answer some FAQs about vaginal pH. Quick links Most discreet: Stix Vaginal pH Test for Yeast Infections Best for regular use: Nutrablast Feminine pH Test Strips Full Range 1–14 Best for pH monitoring: Loyal All My [pH]eels Full Range pH Test Strips Most secure: SEROFlora Feminine pH Test Strips What is a vaginal pH test? A vaginal pH test measures the acidity of the vagina on a scale of 1–14Trusted Source, with lower readings indicating greater acidity. People who experience vaginal symptoms may use a vaginal pH test to help determine whether they have a bacterial or yeast infection. The test involves placing a swab against the wall of the vagina for a specified amount of time. The swab holds a piece of pH paper that changes color. The test kit contains a chart that allows a person to match the color of their test strip with the corresponding color on the chart to determine their vaginal pH. How we chose MNT chooses at-home tests that meet the following criteria: Laboratories: Where possible, MNT will choose companies that process test samples in CLIA-certifiedTrusted Source labs. This means they follow state and federal regulations. Budget: MNT chooses at-home tests that suit a wide range of budgets. Privacy: MNT includes companies that offer robust and transparent privacy measures, such as data protection and discreet packaging. Test result speed: MNT selects companies that inform customers of when they will receive their test results and whether they will receive them via email, app, or phone. Further support: MNT will indicate whether a company offers further support, such as a follow-up phone consultation with a doctor to discuss test results. Best vaginal pH tests Please note that the writer of this article has not tried these products. All information presented is purely research-based and correct at the time of publication. Medical News Today follows a strict product selection and vetting process. Learn more here. Most discreet: Stix Vaginal pH Test for Yeast Infections Cost: $11 for two tests Stix is a company that manufactures tests for the following uses: measuring vaginal pH levels detecting urinary tract infections detecting pregnancy understanding other women’s health issues Stix Vaginal pH Test for Yeast Infections is a discrete vaginal pH testing kit. The website states that the test delivers results in 2 minutes. The kit includes easy-to-follow instructions. Stix offers a subscription service for regular test delivery. Despite company claims, the test cannot tell a person whether they have a yeast infection. However, it can indicate whether a person should book an appointment with their doctor.

Vaginal pH balance: Symptoms, remedies, and tests

Typical vaginal pH level What causes unbalanced vaginal pH?? How to maintain vaginal pH balance Summary Maintaining the pH balance of the vagina is essential to keeping it healthy. The normal pH level of the vagina is between 3.8 and 5. Doctors can take a vaginal pH measurement to determine how acidic the vaginal environment is. It is also possible to test this at home. In the vagina, a high pH may cause infections as it can allow bacteria and yeast to thrive. In this article, learn more about normal vaginal pH levels, how to test them at home, and what to do to restore vaginal pH balance. Typical vaginal pH level Clique Images/Stocksy A normal vaginal pH is between 3.8 and 5Trusted Source. A pH level within this range can help to keep bacterial and fungal infections at bay. This range is moderately acidic. What is considered a “normal” vaginal pH level varies by age. A woman of reproductive age would have a normal vaginal pH between 4.0 to 4.5Trusted Source, while women who have yet to begin menstruating or who are postmenopausal may have a normal vaginal pH higher than 4.5Trusted Source Lactobacilli bacteria live in the vagina and secrete lactic acid and hydrogen peroxide, which give the vagina its acidic pH level. Vaginal pH is usually less than 4.5 during a woman’s reproductive years unless a condition or infection raises it. What causes unbalanced vaginal pH? Several conditions and infections can affect the vaginal pH balance, usually by increasing pH levels. Causes of changes in vaginal pH include the following: Bacterial vaginosis Bacterial vaginosis is a medical condition that occurs when too much bacteria is present in the vagina. This can cause an increase in vaginal pH levels. A person with bacterial vaginosis may experience itching, burning, or pain in the vagina. They may also feel a burning sensation when urinating and notice a white or gray discharge. Douching Douching refers to washing or cleaning the vagina using particular solutions, such as those containing vinegar or baking soda. These solutions claim to reduce vaginal odor, but, in fact, they may worsen the smell. This is because they wash out good bacteria, which affects the vaginal pH balance and can make someone more prone to infections. Menopause Vaginal pH levels can be an indication of menopausal statusTrusted Source. Women who are postmenopausal may have a slightly higher vaginal pH than women of reproductive age. Reduced estrogen levels during menopause may affect a person’s vaginal pH. Other vaginal infections The presence of infections other than bacterial vaginosis may also increase the vaginal pH. Examples include Trichomonas vaginalis and group B Streptococcus (GBS). Presence of menstrual blood Blood has a higher pH than the vaginal environment. When a person is menstruating, the presence of menstrual blood can increase vaginal pH levels. Presence of semen Semen is basic, which is the opposite of the vagina’s acidic environment. When semen enters the vagina, it may temporarily increase the pH. Taking antibiotics People use antibiotics to kill harmful bacteria, but these medications can kill good bacteria as well. This will include bacteria in the vagina. If a person is taking antibiotics, their vaginal pH may be out of balance. Urinary tract infections (UTIs) UTIs do not cause a higher vaginal pH, but having a high pH can increase a person’s risk of developing a UTI. Reduced estrogen levels during perimenopause and menopause can put a person at risk of developing more frequent UTIs, as lower estrogen allows the vaginal pH to rise. Doctors may prescribe estrogen treatments to lower the vaginal pH and to prevent further UTIs. Other conditions How to maintain vaginal pH balance People can purchase home-testing kits that measure the pH balance of the vagina. These kits are available in some pharmacies and online. At-home testing can reveal elevated pH levels, which could indicate the presence of an infection. The test involves placing a strip of paper that measures pH against the wall of the vagina for a designated amount of time. After removing the paper, a person can compare the resulting color to those on a chart in the kit. Each color corresponds to a pH value. People should read all of the information that the test kit includes. This will include recommendations on the timing of the test, including not performing the test while menstruating or too soon after sex. If a person’s vaginal pH levels are routinely high without any symptoms of an infection, they can take several steps at home to reduce their pH levels. These include: Avoiding harsh soaps and douching. Soaps typically have a high pH, and using them to clean the vaginal area may increase vaginal pH. It is best to use warm water and a gentle cleanser to clean the vulva but to refrain from using soap inside the vagina. This will help to maintain the vaginal pH balance. Changing tampons regularly. Tampons should be changed every four to eight hours. This also helps reduces the risk of bacterial infections, including toxic shock syndrome (TSS). Using barrier protection during sex. Using barrier protection, such as condoms or dental dams, not only helps to prevent pregnancy and STIs but can prevent semen and other fluids from affecting pH levels in the vagina. Avoiding scented feminine hygiene products. Sprays, bubble baths and scented pads or tampons can increase the risk of yeast infections which can impact the pH of the vagina. Doctors can also prescribe creams, such as estrogen cream, which may help to reduce the vagina’s pH levels.

Complex Link Between Gut Microbiome and Immunotherapy Response in Advanced Melanoma

A large-scale meta-analysis has verified that the gut microbiome does influence patients' response to immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy in advanced melanoma, but the relationship appears to be more complex than previously thought. Overall, researchers identified a panel of species, including Roseburia spp. and Akkermansia muciniphila, associated with responses to ICI therapy. However, no single species was a "fully consistent biomarker" across the studies, the authors explain. This "machine learning analysis confirmed the link between the microbiome and overall response rates (ORRs) and progression-free survival (PFS) with ICIs but also revealed limited reproducibility of microbiome-based signatures across cohorts," Karla A. Lee, PhD, a clinical research fellow at King's College London, UK, and colleagues report. The results suggest that "the microbiome is predictive of response in some, but not all, cohorts." The findings were published online February 28 in Nature Medicine. Despite recent advances in targeted therapies for melanoma, less than half of the those who receive a single-agent ICI respond and those who receive combination ICI therapy often suffer from severe drug toxicity problems. That is why finding patients more likely to respond to a single-agent ICI has become a priority. Previous studies have identified the gut microbiome as "a potential biomarker of response as well as a therapeutic target" in melanoma and other malignancies, but "little consensus exists on which microbiome characteristics are associated with treatment responses in the human setting," the authors explain. To further clarify the microbiome–immunotherapy relationship, the researchers performed metagenomic sequencing of stool samples collected from 165 ICI-naive patients with unresectable stage III or IV cutaneous melanoma from 5 observational cohorts in the Netherlands, United Kingdom, and Spain. These data were integrated with 147 samples from publicly available datasets. First, the authors highlighted the variability in findings across these observational studies. For instance, they analyzed stool samples from one UK-based observational study of patients with melanoma (PRIMM-UK) and found a small but statistically significant difference in the microbiome composition of immunotherapy responders vs nonresponders (P = .05) but did not find such an association in a parallel study in the Netherlands (PRIMM-NL, P = .61). The investigators also explored biomarkers of response across different cohorts and found several standouts. In trials using ORR as an endpoint, two uncultivated Roseburia species (CAG:182 and CAG:471) were associated with responses to ICIs. For patients with available PFS data, Phascolarctobacterium succinatutens and Lactobacillus vaginalis were "enriched in responders" across 7 datasets, and significant in 3 of the 8 meta-analysis approaches. A muciniphila and Dorea formicigenerans were also associated with ORR and PFS at 12 months in several meta-analyses. However, "no single bacterium was a fully consistent biomarker of response across all datasets," the authors wrote. Still, the findings could have important implications for the more than 50% of patients with advanced melanoma who don't respond to single-agent ICI therapy. "Our study shows that studying the microbiome is important to improve and personalize immunotherapy treatments for melanoma," study co-author Nicola Segata, PhD, principal investigator in the Laboratory of Computational Metagenomics, University of Trento, Italy, said in a press release. "However, it also suggests that because of the person-to-person variability of the gut microbiome, even larger studies must be carried out to understand the specific gut microbial features that are more likely to lead to a positive response to immunotherapy." Co-author Tim Spector, PhD, head of the Department of Twin Research & Genetic Epidemiology at King's College London, added that "the ultimate goal is to identify which specific features of the microbiome are directly influencing the clinical benefits of immunotherapy to exploit these features in new personalized approaches to support cancer immunotherapy." In the meantime, he said, "this study highlights the potential impact of good diet and gut health on chances of survival in patients undergoing immunotherapy." This study was coordinated by King's College London, CIBIO Department of the University of Trento and European Institute of Oncology in Italy, and the University of Groningen in the Netherlands, and was funded by the Seerave Foundation. Lee, Segata, and Spector have disclosed no relevant financial relationships.

Complex Link Between Gut Microbiome and Immunotherapy Response in Advanced Melanoma

A large-scale meta-analysis has verified that the gut microbiome does influence patients' response to immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy in advanced melanoma, but the relationship appears to be more complex than previously thought. Overall, researchers identified a panel of species, including Roseburia spp. and Akkermansia muciniphila, associated with responses to ICI therapy. However, no single species was a "fully consistent biomarker" across the studies, the authors explain. This "machine learning analysis confirmed the link between the microbiome and overall response rates (ORRs) and progression-free survival (PFS) with ICIs but also revealed limited reproducibility of microbiome-based signatures across cohorts," Karla A. Lee, PhD, a clinical research fellow at King's College London, UK, and colleagues report. The results suggest that "the microbiome is predictive of response in some, but not all, cohorts." The findings were published online February 28 in Nature Medicine. Despite recent advances in targeted therapies for melanoma, less than half of the those who receive a single-agent ICI respond and those who receive combination ICI therapy often suffer from severe drug toxicity problems. That is why finding patients more likely to respond to a single-agent ICI has become a priority. Previous studies have identified the gut microbiome as "a potential biomarker of response as well as a therapeutic target" in melanoma and other malignancies, but "little consensus exists on which microbiome characteristics are associated with treatment responses in the human setting," the authors explain. To further clarify the microbiome–immunotherapy relationship, the researchers performed metagenomic sequencing of stool samples collected from 165 ICI-naive patients with unresectable stage III or IV cutaneous melanoma from 5 observational cohorts in the Netherlands, United Kingdom, and Spain. These data were integrated with 147 samples from publicly available datasets. First, the authors highlighted the variability in findings across these observational studies. For instance, they analyzed stool samples from one UK-based observational study of patients with melanoma (PRIMM-UK) and found a small but statistically significant difference in the microbiome composition of immunotherapy responders vs nonresponders (P = .05) but did not find such an association in a parallel study in the Netherlands (PRIMM-NL, P = .61). The investigators also explored biomarkers of response across different cohorts and found several standouts. In trials using ORR as an endpoint, two uncultivated Roseburia species (CAG:182 and CAG:471) were associated with responses to ICIs. For patients with available PFS data, Phascolarctobacterium succinatutens and Lactobacillus vaginalis were "enriched in responders" across 7 datasets, and significant in 3 of the 8 meta-analysis approaches. A muciniphila and Dorea formicigenerans were also associated with ORR and PFS at 12 months in several meta-analyses. However, "no single bacterium was a fully consistent biomarker of response across all datasets," the authors wrote. Still, the findings could have important implications for the more than 50% of patients with advanced melanoma who don't respond to single-agent ICI therapy. "Our study shows that studying the microbiome is important to improve and personalize immunotherapy treatments for melanoma," study co-author Nicola Segata, PhD, principal investigator in the Laboratory of Computational Metagenomics, University of Trento, Italy, said in a press release. "However, it also suggests that because of the person-to-person variability of the gut microbiome, even larger studies must be carried out to understand the specific gut microbial features that are more likely to lead to a positive response to immunotherapy." Co-author Tim Spector, PhD, head of the Department of Twin Research & Genetic Epidemiology at King's College London, added that "the ultimate goal is to identify which specific features of the microbiome are directly influencing the clinical benefits of immunotherapy to exploit these features in new personalized approaches to support cancer immunotherapy." In the meantime, he said, "this study highlights the potential impact of good diet and gut health on chances of survival in patients undergoing immunotherapy." This study was coordinated by King's College London, CIBIO Department of the University of Trento and European Institute of Oncology in Italy, and the University of Groningen in the Netherlands, and was funded by the Seerave Foundation. Lee, Segata, and Spector have disclosed no relevant financial relationships.

Monkeypox Vaccines: Q&A With the CDC's Agam Rao, MD

Two vaccines are available for monkeypox. Vaccine expert Agam Rao, MD, medical officer in CDC's Poxvirus and Rabies Branch, answers questions about their effectiveness and dosing. How effective is the smallpox vaccine against monkeypox, and how was it identified as potentially protective against monkeypox? Smallpox is the illness that is caused by variola virus, a member of the genus Orthopoxvirus. Monkeypox virus is in that same genus. For viruses within the same genus, we expect that a vaccine against one will be effective against the other. There are actually several different vaccines worldwide that are used for smallpox and other similar viruses. In the United States, we have two vaccines that are licensed for the prevention of smallpox: ACAM2000 and JYNNEOS. JYNNEOS happens to be licensed by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for prevention of monkeypox as well. We don't have any reason to believe that either of these vaccines would differ in effectiveness for monkeypox vs smallpox because the two viruses are related. Do you have any data on how effective ACAM2000 and JYNNEOS are in preventing smallpox? JYNNEOS is a new vaccine and therefore was not used during the eradication campaign for smallpox, so we don't have any real-world data on how effective it would be in preventing smallpox. In terms of ACAM2000, its precursor, a drug called Dryvax, was used during the eradication campaign, and data indicated that it was 85% effective at preventing smallpox if it was given as postexposure prophylaxis within 4 days of an exposure. Even beyond that, if the drug was given up to 14 days after an exposure, it would then at least lessen the symptoms. We don't have data about the real-world effectiveness of these vaccines to prevent monkeypox, particularly in this outbreak. Have there been monkeypox cases in older individuals who had been given the smallpox vaccine? There have been cases of people who have gotten monkeypox despite being vaccinated as children or being vaccinated in the past. Vaccine effectiveness probably wanes over time. We are also aware of monkeypox cases in people who had received the JYNNEOS or ACAM2000 vaccine as part of the current outbreak. There's really no vaccine that's 100% effective. There are always going to be people who don't mount an appropriate immune response, either because they're immunocompromised or for any other reason. What data did the FDA look at to approve JYNNEOS for the prevention of smallpox and monkeypox? In addition to the FDA approving the vaccine, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, which is a group of vaccine experts who assemble to provide guidance to the CDC director for national vaccine recommendations, also recommended the JYNNEOS vaccine for the prevention of Orthopoxvirus infection for people with occupational risk. This was in November of last year and was unrelated to the current outbreak.

Pediatricians Urge Flu Vaccine for Kids

Attention parents: The nation's leading pediatric medical society is urging you to make sure your children get a flu shot this fall to prevent and control the spread of the illness. The American Academy of Pediatrics this week called on parents and caregivers to seek flu vaccines for their kids as soon as they are available in the fall. The group is encouraging parents to catch up on all other vaccines for their children, too. "As a pediatrician and a parent, I consider the flu vaccine as critical for all family members," Kristina A. Bryant, MD, said in a statement about the academy's recommendations. "We should not underestimate the flu, especially when other respiratory viruses like COVID-19 are circulating within our communities. Besides making your child miserable and wreaking havoc on your family's routine, influenza can also be serious and even deadly in children." Only 55% of children ages 6 months to 17 years had been vaccinated against influenza as of early April – down 2% from the previous April – and coverage levels were 8.1% lower for Black children compared with non-Hispanic white children, according to the CDC. In the 2019-2020 flu season, 188 children in the United States died of the infection, equaling the high mark for deaths set in the 2017-2018 season, the agency reported. American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines recommend children ages 6 months and older be vaccinated with the flu vaccine every year. Depending on the child's age and health, they may receive either a shot, which has an inactive version of the flu virus, or the nasal spray, which has a weakened form of the virus. (The academy has more information about the different vaccines here.) Children ages 6 to 8 months old who are getting flu vaccines for the first time should receive two doses at least 4 weeks apart. Pregnant women can get the flu vaccine any time in their pregnancy. Influenza vaccines are safe for developing fetuses, according to the academy. The group stressed the importance of flu vaccines for high-risk and medically vulnerable children and acknowledged the need to end barriers to immunizations for all people, regardless of income or insurance coverage. In 2020, an estimated 16.1% of children in the United States were living in poverty, up from 14.4% in 2019, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Sources American Academy of Pediatrics: "American Academy of Pediatrics Urges Families to Get Children Vaccinated for Influenza to Prevent and Control Illness in 2022-23." HealthyChildren.org: "Which Flu Vaccine Should Children Get?" CDC: "2019-20 Season's Pediatric Flu Deaths Tie High Mark Set During 2017-18 Season." U.S. Census Bureau: "Income and Poverty in the United States: 2020."

Amazon Involved With New Cancer Vaccine Clinical Tria

Amazon is working with the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center to develop cancer vaccines in a new clinical trial. The trial is aimed at finding "personalized vaccines" to treat breast cancer and melanoma, a form of skin cancer. The phase 1 trial is recruiting 20 people over age 18 years to study the safety of the vaccines, according to CNBC. The Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and University of Washington Cancer Consortium are listed as the researchers of the clinical trial, and Amazon is listed as a collaborator, according to a filing on the ClinicalTrials.gov database. "Amazon is contributing scientific and machine learning expertise to a partnership with Fred Hutch to explore the development of a personalized treatment for certain forms of cancer," an Amazon spokesperson told CNBC. "It's very early, but Fred Hutch recently received permission from the US Food and Drug Administration to proceed with a phase 1 clinical trial, and it's unclear whether it will be successful," the spokesperson said. "This will be a long, multiyear process — should it progress, we would be open to working with other organizations in healthcare and life sciences that might also be interested in similar efforts." In recent years, Amazon has grown its presence in the healthcare industry, CNBC reported. The company launched an online pharmacy in 2020, developed a telehealth service called Amazon Care, and released its own COVID-19 test during the pandemic. A research and development group inside Amazon, known as Grand Challenge, oversaw the company's early cancer vaccine effort, according to Business Insider. It's now under the purview of a cancer research team that reports to Robert Williams, the company's vice president of devices. The study was first posted on ClinicalTrials.gov in October 2021 and began recruiting patients on June 9, according to the filing. The phase 1 trial is expected to run through November 2023. The phase 1 trial will study the safety of personalized vaccines to treat patients with late-stage melanoma or hormone receptor-positive HER2-negative breast cancer, which has either spread to other parts of the body or doesn't respond to treatment. More information about the study can be found on ClinicalTrials.gov under the identifier NCT05098210. Sources CNBC: "Amazon launches cancer vaccine clinical trial in partnership with Fred Hutchinson." ClinicalTrials.gov: "Personalized Neo-Antigen Peptide Vaccine for the Treatment of Stage IIC-IV Melanoma or Hormone Receptor Positive Her2 Negative Metastatic Refractory Breast Cancer," NCT05098210. Business Insider: "Amazon is quietly developing cancer vaccines in partnership with Fred Hutchinson and recruiting patients for a new clinical trial."