Thread: Bacterial Vaginosis - Information

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q. How common is Bacterial Vaginosis (BV)?

A. While many people assume that vaginal yeast infection is the most common vaginal infections, the fact is that bacterial vaginosis or BV is the number one occuring vaginal infection among women of childbearing age. In the United States, approximately sixteen percent of women develop bacterial vaginosis during pregnancy.

Q. How is BV transmitted?

A. Unfortunately, medical scientists remain unsure of exactly what causes bacterial vaginosis. This makes a positive determination of how bacterial vaginosis is transmitted impossible. However, we do know that bacterial vaginosis occurs when a disparity occurs between the large number of ?good? bacteria and the normally low number of ?bad? bacteria that inhabit the normal vaginal environment. Ultimately, this means that when the number of bad vaginal bacteria increases, bacterial vaginosis develops.
The scientific community still has a great deal to learn about what causes of bacterial vaginosis, the most common vaginal infection. Questions that remain unanswered include questions about the role ?bad? bacteria play in the development bacterial vaginosis, as well as questions regarding how sexual activity contributes to the development of BV.

While it is true that we do not know the answer to what causes bacterial vaginosis, there are some precautionary steps that may help reduce your risk of developing a vaginal bacterial infection. These steps include:

Limiting the number of sex partners you have. Having multiple sex partners or having sex with a new partner may lead to bacterial vaginosis.

Leaving vaginal douches on the store shelves during shopping trips. Vaginal douching is capable of creating a breeding ground for vaginal infections by upsetting the natural balance of the vaginal environment.

Making sure that you understand the potential risks of the intrauterine device for contraception. The fact is that having an IUD inserted into your uterus may be a key factor in the development of bacterial vaginosis.
However, it does appear that the link between sexual activity and bacterial vaginosis is accurate. This link is likely true because the overwhelming majority of women who?ve ever received a diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis are sexually active. It?s a rare occasion when women who?ve never been sexually active have bacterial vaginosis.

We do know that bacterial vaginosis is not caused by:

sitting on chairs or seats,
the mattresses or linens you sleep on,
swimming pools,
or just touching things.

Q. What are the signs and symptoms of BV?

A. Women often experience these common signs and symptoms of bacterial vaginosis. However, some women never develop any signs or symptoms indicative of this vaginal infection. The signs and symptoms of bacterial vaginosis include:

A foul, or fishy, vaginal odor, often noticed after sexual intercourse.

White or grayish vaginal discharge, that may be thin in consistency.

Burning during urination and/ or itching around the outside of the vagina. Either one or both of these symptoms can occur.

Q. What are the complications of BV?

A. Fortunately most cases of bacteria vaginosis resolve with treatment and don't cause any complications. Of course, this doesn't mean that complications from BV never occur. Complications or consequences that sometimes occur when bacterial vaginosis is present are:

Having bacterial vaginosis at the time of exposure to HIV increases the risk of developing HIV.

Bacterial vaginosis increases the risk that women with HIV will transmit the virus to her sex partner.

Increased susceptibility to sexually transmitted diseases or STDs such as Chlamydia and gonorrhea.

Increased risk of developing pelvic inflammatory disease during hysterectomy, abortion, and other types of pelvic procedures or surgeries.

Increased risk of complications when BV occurs during pregnancy.

Q. Does BV during pregnancy pose a risk to baby or mom?

A. Yes. Sometimes bacterial vaginosis during pregnancy results in a low birth weight baby or premature birth.

A potentially devastating complication that can develop in both pregnant and non-pregnant women with bacterial vaginosis is pelvic inflammatory disease or PID. Pelvic inflammatory disease may develop due to bacteria making its? way into the uterus and fallopian tubes.

PID has the capability to cause future infertility and/ or ectopic pregnancy. Both pelvic inflammatory disease and ectopic pregnancy can develop into life-threatening conditions unless immediate medical attention is sought.

Q. How is BV diagnosed?

A. The diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis is relatively simple. First, a visual vaginal examination is performed to check for any signs of bacterial vaginosis. Next, the physician takes a sample of vaginal fluid for laboratory examination to look for the type of bacteria linked to BV. Many physicians have the necessary equipment to diagnose bacterial vaginosis and other vaginal infections available in their offices so that immediate treatment can begin when necessary.

Q. What are the treatments for BV?

A. The recommended treatments for bacterial vaginosis are the antibiotics metronidazole and clindamycin. When prescribed for treating bacterial vaginosis, the usual form prescribed is as a vaginal cream or gel, although both are available as oral medications. These drugs are safe when used for treatment of BV during pregnancy. The only difference between treating pregnant and non-pregnant women with bacterial vaginosis is that dosage is different for pregnant women.

Occasionally bacterial vaginosis clears up without treatment. However, it?s important that all women who have BV get treatment as soon as possible. Untreated bacterial vaginosis can lead to the development of pelvic inflammatory disease or PID. Pregnant women with bacterial vaginosis also face the prospect of premature delivery or giving birth to low birth weight babies without proper treatment.

Q. Does my sex partner need treatment if I have BV?

A. That depends on whether your sex partner is male or female. Typically, if you are a woman having sex with a man treatment for the male is not necessary. However, when women have sex with women both partners need treatment for bacterial vaginosis. The reason both female sex partners need treatment for bacterial vaginosis is because this vaginal infection is capable of spreading between women.

Q. Is BV preventable?

A. Because the scientific community does not have a clear understanding of what causes bacterial vaginosis or BV, it follows that medical researchers have yet to discover the best ways to prevent this most common vaginal infection. However, scientists do agree that BV is associated with having a new sex partner or having multiple sex partners. In fact, it's rare for women who have never had sexual intercourse to develop bacterial vaginosis.
The following basic prevention steps can help reduce the risk of upsetting the natural balance of bacteria in the vagina and developing BV:


Not having sex or being abstinent is the best way to prevent bacterial vaginosis, as well as other sexually transmitted diseases, viruses, and infections.

Limiting the number of sex partners you have reduces the risk of this and other vaginal infections, STDs, and HIV.

Not using vaginal douches also lowers your risk of bacterial vaginosis.

Vaginal douching can force any bacteria that?s present in the vagina up into the uterus and fallopian tubes where other diseases or infections may cause significant health issues.

More: To Douche or Not to Douche - The Debate Continues

Using all the medication prescribed for treating bacterial vaginosis is vital to helping prevent recurrent infection. This applies even when the signs and symptoms of bacterial vaginosis are no longer present.

Reference: CDC STD FAQs ? Bacterial Vaginosis http://www.cdc/std/bv/STDFact-Ba...-Vaginosis.htm
Accessed: 02/13/06 Published: 03/13/06