Divine Aleru, Microbiome Medicine Research Coordinator

Primary Ovarian Insufficiency affects young women with amenorrhea and elevated FSH levels. It involves follicle dysfunction or depletion and requires comprehensive diagnosis and management, including hormone therapy and fertility preservation.

Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) is a common fungal infection caused by Candida albicans. Disruptions in the vaginal microbiome and immune responses contribute to its development. Effective treatment involves both antifungal therapy and strategies to restore microbiome balance, preventing recurrent infections and addressing emerging antifungal resistance.

Primary dysmenorrhea (PD) is painful menstrual cramps without underlying pelvic pathology, predominantly caused by elevated prostaglandins inducing uterine contractions and ischemia. Managing primary dysmenorrhea (PD) requires understanding its complex mechanisms involving prostaglandins, oxidative stress, and inflammation. Treatments include NSAIDs, hormonal therapies, and promising complementary options like probiotics, vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids, exercise, yoga, acupuncture, and massage, significantly improving women’s quality of life.

This review details how acupuncture and related therapies reduce inflammatory mediators, cytokines, chemokines, and leukocytes, to relieve primary dysmenorrhea, and underscores the need for microbiome-focused research.

This study demonstrates that zinc supplementation, when combined with mefenamic acid, significantly reduces primary dysmenorrhea pain and incidence, offering a more effective treatment strategy than mefenamic acid alone.

This systematic review will investigate the relationship between dysmenorrhea and psychological distress, including depression, anxiety, and stress, aiming to provide insights into their bidirectional effects and improve clinical management strategies.

This study links dysmenorrhea to an increased risk of postpartum depression in Chinese women. It highlights the need for early PPD screening in women with a history of dysmenorrhea.

The study links adolescent dysmenorrhea patterns with adult endometriosis development. It suggests that early intervention, guided by dysmenorrhea frequency and onset, can reduce the risk of EMs and its associated complications, including infertility.

A GWAS study identifies a significant genetic association at the NGF gene locus on chromosome 1p13.2, which may explain variations in dysmenorrhea pain severity, suggesting potential new therapeutic targets for pain management.

Primary dysmenorrhea is a prevalent condition that affects many women, particularly in their younger years. This review discusses its pathophysiology, impact on quality of life, and treatment options, including pharmacological, non-pharmacological, and alternative therapies.

This review explores the pathophysiology, impact, and treatment of primary dysmenorrhea, emphasizing the role of prostaglandins and the significant effects on women’s quality of life. It highlights current pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment options, suggesting a need for personalized, holistic approaches to management.

This review evaluates the potential therapeutic role of vitamins (D, E, B1, C, K) in reducing primary dysmenorrhea symptoms, proposing them as alternatives to NSAIDs, with promising results, particularly in inflammation and oxidative stress modulation.

This Cochrane review confirms that structured exercise markedly reduces menstrual pain in primary dysmenorrhea but reveals no microbiome data, prompting a call for studies linking exercise interventions with gut–uterine microbial signatures.

This network meta‑analysis ranks six exercise modalities for primary dysmenorrhea, showing resistance and multi‑component training best reduce pain and symptoms, with clear dosage guidelines for clinical implementation.

Vitamin D and calcium supplementation can significantly reduce primary dysmenorrhea symptoms and reliance on analgesics. The inverse relationship between serum vitamin D and calcium levels and dysmenorrhea severity supports their use as effective adjunct therapies.

A systematic review and meta-analysis showed that vitamin D supplementation effectively reduces primary dysmenorrhea pain, especially with doses over 50,000 IU weekly, with significant improvements in pain severity and serum 25(OH)D levels.

Yoga, especially asanas, pranayama, and yoga nidra, significantly reduces menstrual pain and distress in women with dysmenorrhea. These practices improve pain tolerance and overall well-being, offering a non-pharmacological alternative to traditional treatments.

Self-care interventions like exercise, heat, and acupressure significantly reduce menstrual pain in primary dysmenorrhea, with exercise showing the largest effect. These methods may be effective alternatives to medication.

Lactobacillus gasseri OLL2809 significantly reduced menstrual pain and dysmenorrhea in endometriosis patients, offering a potential non-hormonal alternative to traditional treatments. No adverse effects were reported.

Bovine lactoferrin shows promise as an adjunct for pain relief, enhancing opioid efficacy while reducing side effects. Its anti-nociceptive and anti-inflammatory actions warrant further research in clinical settings.

FeLf improved psychological symptoms related to menstrual distress, particularly autonomic balance, in healthy women. However, no significant effects on menstrual pain or quality of life were observed.

Hibiscus rosa-sinensis shows potent antifertility effects through antiovulatory, antiimplantation, and antispermatogenic mechanisms in animal studies, supporting its development as a safe, natural contraceptive pending further research.

Nifedipine may provide significant pain relief for women with primary dysmenorrhoea, but evidence quality is low. Larger studies are needed to confirm its effectiveness and safety.

HIIT significantly improved pain and physical fitness in women with primary dysmenorrhea, while probiotics showed some benefits in alleviating premenstrual symptoms. However, probiotics alone did not impact hormone levels or inflammation.