Funding outcome

BACKGROUND: Gender-affirming surgery for transgender women (male sex assigned at birth who identify as women) can involve surgical construction of a new vagina (neovagina) from a penis. The vagina in cisgender women has been extensively studied, including the unique environment it hosts for various microorganisms. However, there is a gap in knowledge regarding the composition of the neovaginal microbiome among trans women. Given the differences in penile and vaginal tissue, and thus the microorganisms they host, there may also be differences in the vaginal microbiome between cis and trans women that have yet to be further explored. OBJECTIVES: This is a feasibility study that aims to examine the composition of the neovaginal microbiome of trans women after undergoing gender-affirming surgery. METHODS: Trans women receiving care at the Gender Clinic in the Lois Hole Hospital for Women will be approached until 10 participants have been recruited. Participants must be at least 18 years old and have had surgical construction of a neovagina from a penis (penile inversion vaginoplasty). Vaginal secretions will be swabbed to then grow the microorganisms on a culture plate. The genetic material will be extracted, amplified, and sequenced using metagenomic techniques in order to identify the composition of the neovaginal microbiome. Finally, a literature search will also be conducted to compare our results to pre-existing literature. EXPECTED OUTCOMES/BENEFITS: We expect the neovagina to have a microbiome unique from the vagina of cis women, as penile tissue, which hosts different microorganisms from the vagina, has been used in the surgical process of constructing the neovagina. This feasibility study will also identify any barriers from participant recruitment to logistical considerations (e.g., resource allocation, multi-departmental collaboration) in order to effectively serve as a basis for larger scale projects in the future