Characteristics of vaginal flora in early pregnant women with different Vitamin D levels
Vitamin D is a unique steroid hormone that plays a crucial role during pregnancy. Deficiency of Vitamin D is more likely to occur in pregnant women due to the increased demands of the mother and the need for fetal bone calcification. Vitamin D has a significant impact on various aspects of the reproductive system, including inflammation and immune regulation, as well as the balance of normal vaginal flora. However, the precise effect of different levels of Vitamin D on the vaginal flora of pregnant women in early pregnancy remains unclear.Methods We measured serum 25(OH)D levels in women during the first trimester of pregnancy. Additionally, we employed the 16S rRNA gene sequencing method and the PICRUSt algorithm to analyze the molecular characteristics of the vaginal flora in pregnant women during the first trimester, considering their varying levels of Vitamin D, and examined the potential function of genes related to downstream metabolic pathways.