The bacteria and other microbes that live in the vagina are hugely important to our health, but (like the microbes in other parts of the body) they’re not very well understood. Now, a company is offering free vaginal microbiome reports to women who join their study.

Probiotics have been one of the buzziest health trends of the past decade—though they’ve actually been around forever in various fermented foods—and have quickly become a regular part of many people’s diets and supplement regimens. Though usually associated with gut health, probiotics have also been heavily marketed towards people with vaginas. This makes sense because the two areas are more connected than you probably think (more on that later).

How often have you said to yourself, "My vagina is fantastic"? Follow-up question: How many negative messages about your vagina and vulva have you gotten in your lifetime? Such as: it's too hairy, too smelly, or too loose?

Video: It's totally normal to have vaginal discharge, a sort of whitish fluid, showing up in your underwear (if you are a person who has a vagina). But if you're seeing a lot of it, you may wonder, how much is OK? In this video, gynaecologist Dr Jen Gunter demonstrates.