Comparison of the genital microbiomes of pregnant Aboriginal and Non-aboriginal women

A prospective cohort study to characterise the vaginal and placental microbiomes of a group of these women from the Pilbara region was conducted at the Hedland Health Campus in Western Australia. Included in the study were gravidae Aboriginal (n = 23) and Non-aboriginal (n = 27) women in labour or for planned lower uterine segment Caesarean section. Vaginal and placental swabs were obtained prior to planned Caesarean section and during labour. Taxa present in the samples were identified by 16s rRNA amplicon sequencing (V4 region, 515F-806R).