Vaginal and endometrial microbiome testing

They answer different questions and are often done together. Microbiome testing is a genetic analysis that measures the balance of the ecosystem: lactobacilli, bacteria linked to vaginosis, Candida overgrowth and the main sexually transmitted infections. A culture identifies the microorganism and, with susceptibility testing, shows which treatment will work.

Not in every case. The endometrial test uses a small sample from inside the uterus and looks above all for chronic endometritis, so it makes sense when infections keep coming back, when symptoms have no clear explanation or when you are finding it hard to get pregnant.

Yes: the test shows whether there is Candida overgrowth and, with a culture and antifungal susceptibility testing, which species it is and which antifungal it responds to. It is the first step when thrush keeps coming back, not least because there are conditions that look very similar and are not Candida at all.