Improving Menstrual and VAginal Health for All

Recruiting now · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Effects of Menstrual Products on the Vaginal Microbiome

In brief

A three-period crossover trial will study the effects of short-term use of 3 menstrual products (menstrual pad, tampon, menstrual cup) on the bacterial composition of the vaginal microbiome in three countries (Peru, Cameroon, and Switzerland). Each crossover period consists of two menstrual cycles, thus resulting in a 6-month trial. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of 6 exposure sequences (different order of products per sequence); in each sequence, participants will adopt each menstrual product for 2 menstrual cycles. Participants will provide vaginal microbiome samples via self-sample swabs at 3 points during each menstrual cycle. Given the crossover design of the study, there is not a dedicated control group.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT06646185

Run by

Swiss Tropical & Public Health Institute

People needed

100

Starts

2026-04-15

Expected to finish

2026-12-31

Last updated by the study team

2026-04-23

Who can join

Age: 18 and older, up to 35. Sex: female. Healthy volunteers: accepted.

You may qualify if…

• able to provide informed consent;
• aged 18-35;
• residing in the recruitment region and expecting to reside in the same region for at least six months following recruitment (Yaoundé/ Gounougou, Cameroon; Loreto/Lima/Maynas provinces, Peru; or Basel-Landschaft and Basel-Stadt cantons, Switzerland);
• are native speakers or are able to read and understand one of the following languages in each respective country (German, French, Italian, English or Spanish in Switzerland; French or English in Cameroon; Spanish in Peru);
• had menstrual cycles of 21-35 days for at least the last 4 months;
• had menses which lasted at least 3 days for at least the last 4 months.

You may not qualify if…

• experienced a menstrual abnormality with any of the menstrual cycles in the last 4 months (such as oligomenorrhea or amenorrhea, or bleed more than 7 days a month);
• are pregnant or actively trying to become pregnant;
• are breastfeeding;
• used antibiotics and/or vaginal antifungals in the last 30 days prior to recruitment;
• had a vaginal birth in the last 6 months;
• vaginal surgery, perineal surgery, uterine surgery, miscarriage or abortion in the last 6 months;
• history of Toxic Shock Syndrome ;
• positive to detection of the toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 gen (tst) using Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR);
• Intrauterine device in situ;
• under medication (treatment against infectious or chronic disease) at the time of recruitment or during the 3 weeks prior to recruitment;
• clinical symptoms of vaginal infection;
• smoker.

Where it is running

• Centre de Recherche sur les Maladies Emergentes et Re-Emergentes — Yaoundé, Yaoundé, Cameroon (enrolling)
• Universidad Nacional de la Amazonia Peruana — Iquitos, Iquitos, Peru (enrolling)
• Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute — Allschwil, Allschwil, Switzerland (enrolling)

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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