Facts About Bacterial Vaginitis – HealthyWomen

What is bacterial vaginosis?

BV is an infection, but it is not an STD.

Your vagina usually has many types of bacteria. So-called “good” bacteria help keep your vagina healthy by keeping harmful bacteria in check. If the bad bacteria outnumber the good, the overgrowth and imbalance can cause BV. Women who are not sexually active usually do not get BV, but it is possible.

What puts you at risk for bacterial vaginosis?

Anyone with a vagina can get BV, but certain conditions increase this risk:

• Being pregnant. Hormonal changes during this time can encourage bacterial overgrowth.
• Not using a condom during sex
• Having multiple sexual partners or a new sexual partner, especially if the partner is female
• Douching
• Using an intrauterine device (IUD) for birth control
• Being black. Black women get BV in the twice the rate of white womenalthough it is not clear why.

Symptoms of bacterial vaginosis

Not everyone has BV symptoms. The most common symptom is abnormal vaginal discharge. Some women describe it as smelling like fish, especially after sex. The color of the discharge can range from whitish to greenish. Other symptoms include:

• Burning during urination. This is similar to what you might feel if you have a urinary tract infection (UTI).
• Itching in and around the vagina
• Pain in and around the vagina

If you are pregnant, vaginal discharge is not unusual. Discharge during pregnancy is usually thin and whitish and has a mild odor. If you develop thicker discharge that has a strong odor, contact your HC.

Keep in mind that yeast infections can cause the same symptoms as BV. If you used an over-the-counter yeast infection treatment to treat your symptoms, but they didn’t go away, you may have BV.

Read: Vaginal discharge provides clues to your health and fertility >>

How do you diagnose bacterial vaginosis?

To diagnose BV, your HCP will need to do a pelvic exam. They will examine your vagina and the area around it. If they think you might have BV, they’ll take a sample of the discharge to send to a lab for testing.

Although you cannot pass BV to a male partner, you can give it to a woman partner. So, if you are having sex with a person with a vagina, it is important to let the person know about your diagnosis.

What is the treatment for bacterial vaginosis?

The most common antibiotics used to treat BV are metronidazole and clindamycin. You can take antibiotics in pill form or apply a gel or cream directly to the vagina with an applicator.

It is important to finish the entire prescription, even if your symptoms go away before the medication is finished. The bacteria may still be present and symptoms will return if you stop the medication too soon. There is also the risk of bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics. Even after completing a course of antibiotics, approx 10-15% of people they need more treatment. And until 8 out of 10 people they will have a recurrent infection at some point in their lives.

What complications can arise from bacterial vaginosis?

Although BV is usually cured with treatment, there are complications to be aware of if the infection is left untreated. These include:

• Pregnancy complications: Untreated BV can cause Early Childbirth and low birth weight for the baby. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that pregnant women be regularly screened for BV, whether they have symptoms or not. They also suggest that if a baby is born early or with a low birth weight, the mother should be tested in case she has the infection but has no symptoms.

Read: 11 things weight in your pelvic area can mean >>

How do you prevent bacterial vaginosis?

Not all BV infections can be prevented, but there are steps you can take to reduce your risk.

• Don’t shower – the formula can throw off the balance of bacteria in your vagina.
• Avoid scented products (soaps, tampons, etc.) because they can cause inflammation.
• Use condoms when you have sex.