Vaginal Health Glossary

The Vaginal Health glossary is home to the terms you may have seen while researching vaginal health information. We created this resource because we know those quick searches on Google can often lead to an endless stream of confusing information. This is the place for you to define terms while protecting your peace of mind! Next time you find yourself searching, open this page and click "command + F" on your keyboard to find the term you're looking for.

Bacteria: Tiny, single-celled organisms that can be harmful and cause infections or disease. However, most bacteria living on or in our bodies are helpful and make up our microbiome.

Bacterial Vaginosis (BV): BV is an inflammatory condition resulting from the overgrowth of “bad” bacteria in the vagina.

Estrogen: One of the two primary sex hormones for females. It plays a key role in reproductive health as well as the development of female sex characteristics such as breasts. It is also involved in regulating the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and menopause. There are three different types of estrogen; including estrone, estradiol, and estriol. Estrone is the primary type your body makes after going through menopause. Estradiol is the most potent form, which is primarily in your body during your reproductive years and estriol is the primary form of estrogen present during pregnancy.

Gynecologist: A specialized doctor who diagnoses and treats diseases of the female reproductive organs.

Hysterectomy: A hysterectomy is a surgical procedure that removes the uterus and is most common in females ages 40-50 years old, needed for various reasons.

IUD: Intrauterine device (IUD) is a type of birth control. It's a small plastic T-shaped device inserted into the uterus to prevent pregnancy. There are two different kinds: copper IUDs and hormonal IUDs. 

Lactobacillus: Lactobacilli (plural form of lactobacillus) are a type of good bacteria that help to keep the vagina healthy by producing lactic acid, hydrogen peroxide, and other substances that inhibit the growth of bacteria and other unwanted organisms. They help maintain the vagina at a healthy pH between 3.8-4.5. There are multiple different strains of lactobacilli bacteria found in the vagina.

Menopause: Menopause is the natural biological process that marks the end of a person’s reproductive years. It is reached after 12 consecutive months without a period which means they no longer experience their menstrual cycle. In the US, the average age of menopause is 51; however, it can often happen at any age between the 40s and 50s.

Menstrual cycle: Refers to the monthly cycle of shedding the uterine lining that occurs as the body responds to natural hormone fluctuations. The cycle begins on the first day of someone’s period and ends on the day before their next period.

Perimenopause: The natural transition period leading up to menopause. During perimenopause estrogen begins to fluctuate and overall decline, leading to irregular menstrual cycles and eventually an end of menstruation. Perimenopause can begin as early as mid-30s and as late as your mid-50s. This is when hallmark symptoms of hot flashes and other menopause-like symptoms appear.

pH: pH is a measure of how acidic/basic something is. The scale ranges from 0-14, with 7 being neutral. The closer to 0 the more acidic something is, and the closer to 14 the more basic or alkaline something is. In the Learning Center we refer to pH measurements of urine and the vagina.

Testosterone: A hormone produced by the ovaries for females and the testes for males. Levels are usually higher in males. Testosterone is involved in multiple life stages including fetal development, puberty for males, and adulthood. For females, testosterone plays a role in libido. However, the majority of testosterone produced in the ovaries gets converted over to estradiol, the primary female sex hormone. 

Urogenital health: your vaginal health and bladder health.

Urogynecologist: is a surgeon who specializes in the care of women with pelvic floor disorders.

Urologist: A specialist doctor who treats diseases of the urinary tract and related conditions.

Vaginal Atrophy: a condition that may occur after estrogen decline associated with the menopause transition. This causes the vaginal walls to thin, dry, and become inflamed – causing general discomfort, and pain during sex. Vaginal atrophy is associated with genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM) and can result in a higher risk of recurrent UTIs. 

Vaginal Discharge: refers to any fluid that comes out of the vagina. There are many factors that can impact a change in how discharge shows up, like arousal, an infection, or even throughout your menstrual cycle. 

Vaginal Dryness: Typically, the vaginal lining is lubricated with fluid that helps keep it healthy. Vaginal dryness is when vaginal tissue is physically dry and causes pain while sitting, exercising, peeing, and/or during sexual intercourse. This is very common and occurs in about 17% of females between the ages of 18-50 and over half of postmenopausal females over 50.

Vaginal Microbiome: The vaginal microbiome is a complex community of microorganisms that live naturally in the human vagina. This can also be referred to as the Vaginal Flora.

Vaginitis: is a general term used to define inflammation to the vagina. Vaginitis can be infectious or non-infections and includes Bacterial Vaginosis, Yeast Infections, and Trichomoniasis (an STI).

Vulva: The outer part of the female genitals- includes the mons pubis, labia, clitoris, vaginal opening and its glands, and the opening to the urethra.

Vulvodynia: Classifies long-term vulva pain or discomfort that lasts at least 3 months with no clear cause. 

Yeast infection: Yeast Infections can impact many regions in the body, specifically, Vaginal Yeast Infections are caused by an overgrowth of yeast and can affect both the vagina and vulva. Up to 80% of all yeast infections are commonly caused by an overgrowth of a type of yeast called Candida albicans.

Note: references to "female", “women”, “male”, and “men” in this article refer to sex assigned at birth, not gender.