Sample collection
STERILE
For cytokine analysis, women had a disposable menstrual cup inserted for approximately 45 min. Clinicians removed the menstrual cup prior to speculum insertion and immediately placed the cup into a 50-mL sterile Falcon tube, at 4 °C for transport to the laboratory within 4 h of collection. At the laboratory, cervicovaginal secretions collected in the menstrual cups were processed and extracted as previously described