{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,30]],"date-time":"2026-04-30T23:06:38Z","timestamp":1777590398281,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":99,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"8","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,24]],"date-time":"2025-07-24T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1753315200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Life"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background\/Objectives: Endocrine disruptors (EDs) are xenobiotic chemicals that disrupt hormone signaling and homeostasis within the human body. Accumulative evidence proposes that EDs could affect systemic hormone balance and local microbial communities, including the female genital tract (FGT) microbiome. The FGT microbiome, and especially the vaginal microbiota, contributes significantly to reproductive health maintenance, defense against infection, and favorable pregnancy outcomes. Disruption of the delicate microbial environment is associated with conditions like bacterial vaginosis, infertility, and preterm birth. Methods: The present narrative review summarizes the existing literature on EDs\u2019 potential for changing the FGT microbiome. We discuss EDs like bisphenol A (BPA), phthalates, and parabens and their potential for disrupting the FGT microbiome through ED-induced hormone perturbations, immune modulation, and epithelial barrier breach, which could lead to microbial dysbiosis. Results: Preliminary evidence suggests that ED exposure\u2013microbial composition changes relationships; however, robust human evidence for EDs\u2019 changes on the FGT microbiome remains scarce. Conclusions: Our review addresses major research gaps and suggests future directions for investigation, such as the necessity for longitudinal and mechanistic studies that combine microbiome, exposome, and endocrine parameters. The relationship between EDs and the FGT microbiome could be critical for enhancing women\u2019s reproductive health and for steering regulatory policies on exposure to environmental chemicals.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/life15081177","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,24]],"date-time":"2025-07-24T14:11:44Z","timestamp":1753366304000},"page":"1177","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["The Impact of Endocrine Disruptors on the Female Genital Tract Microbiome: A Narrative Review"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"15","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0005-3333-2620","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Efthalia","family":"Moustakli","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratory of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4301-8775","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Themos","family":"Grigoriadis","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"First Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Alexandra Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11528 Athens, Greece"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7716-1521","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Anastasios","family":"Potiris","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University General Hospital \u201cATTIKON\u201d, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 12462 Athens, Greece"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Eirini","family":"Drakaki","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"First Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Alexandra Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11528 Athens, Greece"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0002-9553-6803","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Athanasios","family":"Zikopoulos","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University General Hospital \u201cATTIKON\u201d, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 12462 Athens, Greece"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Ismini","family":"Anagnostaki","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University General Hospital \u201cATTIKON\u201d, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 12462 Athens, Greece"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5287-4450","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Athanasios","family":"Zachariou","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Urology, School of Medicine, Ioannina University, 45110 Ioannina, Greece"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8899-3040","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ekaterini","family":"Domali","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"First Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Alexandra Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11528 Athens, Greece"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Peter","family":"Drakakis","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University General Hospital \u201cATTIKON\u201d, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 12462 Athens, Greece"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Sofoklis","family":"Stavros","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University General Hospital \u201cATTIKON\u201d, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 12462 Athens, Greece"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,24]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Chou, K. 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