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Intimate Ecology - Moira Bradfield

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Intimate Ecology - Moira Bradfield

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Influencing global genitourinary health, through practitioner CPD education, mentoring and clinical consultation.

Recurrent infections, vaginal, vulval health, penile and urinary health.

30/10/2026

Happy Halloween (or Beltane if your a stickler for hemisphere accuracy).

I've seen and heard some scary things working with v4ginal health.
I'm not referring to the weird bacteria I come across.

Tell me your vaginal health horror stories.

Maybe a particularly horrifying myth? Misinformation? The symptom or situation that made you go wow. The truly questionable advice or explanation you've been given..

Let's exorcise a few vaginal health demons.

I'll be sharing the true horrors that get sent through to storied so be sure to not have personal details :)
Or you can comment below.

X Moira

30/10/2026

Another wonderfully varied week in clinic.
From complex v_lval inflammation and recurrent infections to hormonal and immune influences on genitourinary health, this week's consultations have been a reminder of just how interconnected these systems are.

One of the things I enjoy most about clinical practice is exploring the why behind persistent or recurrent symptoms.

Sometimes the microbiome is central to the picture. Other times, it's one part of a much broader conversation involving hormones, immune regulation, tissue health, previous treatments and the individual's clinical history.

And not every organism detected is necessarily responsible for symptoms or requires intervention.
Alongside consultations, this week has also included practitioner mentoring and presenting my Hormones and the Val4ginal Microbiome webinar.

I love being able to bring research, clinical practice and education together.

Appointments are available with both myself and Jessie-Anne for personalised, evidence-informed genitourinary health support.

Book through the link in our bio.

30/10/2026

Not all our clients at Intimate Ecology are female or AFAB!

This week's clinical work with Jessie-Anne is a lovely reminder that genitourinary and microbiome health extends beyond the v4ginal microbiome.

We're increasingly recognising the importance of p3nile and s3minal microbiome health, particularly in the context of recurrent v4ginal infections, s3xual partnerships and reproductive health.

Male partners aren't simply bystanders in these conversations. Their own urogenital health matters, and preventative care deserves attention too.

At Intimate Ecology, we support individuals and couples, including male and AMAB clients, with a personalised, evidence informed approach to genitourinary and microbiome health.

Jessie-Anne is currently welcoming new clients for online consultations.

Book via the link in our bio.

28/10/2026

We often associate HPV with younger populations associted with estrogen peaks and s3xual activity. But HPV can persist or become detectable again many years after the original infection.

A new positive HPV result doesn't necessarily mean a new infection or recent s3xual exposure.
Some studies show a second peak in HPV detection later in life. Detection on screening may reflect intermittent viral detection or reactivation of a previously acquired infection.

We can't reliably distinguish these from a papscreen test. We also need to acknowledge changes to detection now via PCR vs. Screening that just looked for cells. It may be the difference between a negative history and a new positive.

What influences HPV persistence after menopause?

Immune surveillance: HPV control relies heavily on cell mediated immunity. Age related immune changes may influence viral control.

Estrogen and epithelial health: Declining estrogen changes vaginal tissues, mucosal immunity and the local microbial environment.

Vaginal microbiome: Anaerobe enriched communities and inflammation are associated with HPV persistence.

Smoking and oxidative stress: Smoking is an established risk factor for cervical disease and may affect local immunity.

Stress and systemic health: Chronic stress may influence immune regulation, but direct evidence for HPV reactivation is limited.

Even after LEEP, HPV may remain detectable: removing abnormal tissue does not guarantee viral elimination.

For me, this is another reminder to consider the virus AND the environment in which it persists.

Appropriate cervical surveillance is essential. Exploring immune, hormonal and microbial health may inform supportive care alongside it.

Need support?
Naturopathic appointments available. Link in Bio

27/10/2026

Even in 2026 I am seeing a fascinating range of research research exploring this weirdo of a bacterium: Ureaplasma urealyticum.

I've been teaching for years that amounts matter when decision making around this bacteria. So does the environment a microbe is living in. A positive result is a piece of information, not automatically an indication for treatment.

As part of my research for my upcoming webinar I stumbled on the below.

V4GINAL ECOLOGY
Liu et al. (2026) linked U. urealyticum positivity with altered v4ginal microecology markers. Did Ureaplasma contribute to disruption, or did the disrupted environment favour its colonisation? We don't know.

MALE REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH
Dai et al. (2026) examined 2,668 males attending fertility services. Nearly 25% were positive of Ureaplasma. Smoking and s3xual frequency were associated with positivity; ej*****te volume was lower. Interestingly, no significant association with semen quality.

PREGNANCY
Chen et al. (2026) found cervical colonisation was common (42.5%). What stood out was that LOAD: ≥10⁵ copies/mL was associated with increased risk of spontaneous preterm birth before 32 weeks, as well as some other adverse outcomes.
A first to see a number for load whichbis great.

And for me it continues to confirm: not every detected organism needs to be addressed.
We need to ask what else is happening in the ecosystem, what the microbial burden is, and whether there is evidence of harm or future harm.

We'll unpack these studies (and more), their contradictions and what they mean for clinical interpretation in my Mollicutes Masterclass: Ureaplasma & Mycoplasma Species, 17 November.

Practitioner enrolment via link in Bio

23/10/2026

The vaginal microbiome and mitochondria
At Intimate Ecology, I've been talking for a long time about looking beyond which bacteria are present. Their metabolites, the environment they create and the way our tissues respond are all part of the picture.
I even have an entire webinar, The BV Big 5, exploring bacterial metabolic products, their role in BV pathogenesis and ecological recovery.

So this new review of the vaginal microbiome/mitochondria axis caught my attention. Years ago I wrote about gut microbiome/mitochondria cross talk, and I've been fascinated by it ever since.

The authors propose that microbial metabolites (including lactate and short-chain fatty acids) and virulence factors may alter mitochondrial energy metabolism and redox signalling. Those mitochondrial responses may, in turn, shape epithelial integrity, inflammation and immune defence and potentially the vaginal environment itself.
There is some direct vaginal evidence: in experimental epithelial models, Candida albicans triggers mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mtROS), partly through candidalysin. Interestingly, reducing mtROS increased fungal burden, suggesting this response can be protective, not simply damaging.

Could incomplete mitochondrial recovery then leave tissues more vulnerable to dysbiosis or recurrence, even after microbes are controlled? It's an intriguing hypothesis, not yet an established clinical mechanism.

For me, it's another reminder that vaginal health can't be reduced to a list of organisms, or even Lactobacillus dominance.

After all, context gives microbes their meaning.

I explore these connections in The BV Big 5, and will keep building the conversation in Hormones & the Vaginal Microbiome (27 October) and the Mollicutes webinar (November).

Visit the link in bio.

Ref: Agoni L, et al. (2026). The Vaginal Microbiome–Mitochondria Axis. Cells, 15(20), 1835.

23/10/2026

A little snapshot of the diversity of what comes through the clinic each week!

While v4ginal and genitourinary health are central to much of my work, there is often a much bigger picture to explore.

Hormones, immune function, metabolic health, nervous system regulation and the microbiome all interact. Understanding these connections is an important part of how we approach complex and recurrent symptoms at Intimate Ecology.

Sometimes the work is about addressing a specific concern. Other times, it's about stepping back and exploring the wider factors for maintaining health for clients who have been seeing me for ongoing general health care.

Appointments with me (Moira) are available over the coming weeks.

At Intimate Ecology we offer online consultations across Australia and internationally (exc. US).

If you're looking for a more comprehensive, individualised approach to your health, we'd love to support you.
🌿 Book via the link in our bio or visit

www.intimateecology.com.au

23/10/2026

Another busy week in clinic for Jessie-Anne, supporting clients across a range of v4ginal, reproductive and hormonal health concerns.

One of the things we value at Intimate Ecology is looking beyond the immediate symptoms to understand the broader picture. From the microbiome and immune health to hormones, tissue health and the many factors that influence recovery.

Jessie-Anne brings a thoughtful, individualised approach to care, whether you're navigating recurrent symptoms, planning a pregnancy or looking for a more comprehensive understanding of your health.

🌿 Jessie-Anne is welcoming new and returning clients, with online appointments available on Tuesdays.

If you've been considering some support, we'd love to help.

Book via the link in our bio.

19/10/2026

This week I’ve seen a run of recurrent BV cases in clinic.

I always find it interesting to explore the "why" of recurrent BV. Not every return of symptoms means that treatment has failed or the same thing is happening for everyone. Sometimes BV hasn’t been treated, sometimes treatment hasn’t fully cleared it, and sometimes other factors allow the imbalance to return.

One consideration is microbiome recovery.

Reducing BV-associated anaerobes doesn’t automatically mean a protective Lactobacillus-dominant community has returned.

New research from Vodstrcil and colleagues at Melbourne S3xual Health Centre found that people with an intermediate or BV associated Nugent score just after treatment were almost three times as likely to have repeat BV four weeks later, compared with those who had returned to a Lactobacillus dominant profile.

It is an important reminder that the disappearance of odour or discharge doesn’t necessarily mean the ecosystem has recovered.
In clinic, this means considering more than another course of treatment:

*Has BV actually cleared, and is the microbiome recovering?
*Could partner associated reinfection be contributing?
*Are s3xual practices or other exposures challenging a recovering microbiome?
*What about hormonal patterns, tissue health and the broader v4ginal environment?

I enjoy working with recurrent BV because understanding why it keeps happening can open up opportunities for more targeted, lasting care.

Experiencing recurrent BV?

At Intimate Ecology, we explore the whole picture, alongside evidence based treatment. Book an online consultation with Dr Moira or Jessie-Anne through the link in our bio.

Reference:Vodstrcil LA et al. (2026). Determinants of repeat bacterial v4ginosis in concurrently treated couples: a post-hoc pooled cohort study.The Lancet Obstetrics, Gynaecology & Women's Health

14/10/2026

These small, cell wall deficient bacteria generate some surprisingly big clinical questions.

For some people, their detection comes after months or years of recurrent vaginal infections, urethral irritation, urinary symptoms, pelvic discomfort or investigations into fertility. For others, they appear unexpectedly on a microbiome report, with no symptoms at all.
And this is where the nuance matters.

Not all Mycoplasma and Ureaplasma species are the same.

Mycoplasma genitalium is a recognised sexually transmitted pathogen, associated with urethritis, cervicitis and pelvic inflammatory disease. Its identification requires specific clinical management.

But Mycoplasma hominis, Ureaplasma parvum and Ureaplasma urealyticum are a different discussion.

These bacteria can be present without causing disease. Their detection may occur alongside vaginal dysbiosis, inflammation or reproductive concerns, and we need to determine their relevance.

We need to consider the species, the symptoms, the microbial community, the presence of inflammation and what else might explain the clinical picture.

The question needs to extend beyond: "Does this need eradication?"
We also need to ask why these organisms are present, whether they are clinically relevant, what the evidence actually supports and what impact repeated antimicrobial treatment might have on the wider microbial ecosystem.

At Intimate Ecology, this is the framework we bring to complex vaginal and genitourinary presentations: understanding the microbes within the context of the person and their ecology.

Want to explore this further?

For those navigating symptoms or a positive result: start with our comprehensive blog exploring Mycoplasma and Ureaplasma, their differences and what their detection may mean.

For practitioners: The upcoming November webinar, Mycoplasma & Ureaplasma, explores the microbiology, emerging research, clinical associations, testing, treatment considerations and the ecological questions that help inform clinical decisions.

Read the blog or explore the practitioner webinar via Bio Links

Address

Gold Coast, QLD
4213

Opening Hours

Thursday	12pm - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

Website

http://www.intimateecology.com.au/

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