Funding Statement Dr. Data Availability Data are available from the Alfred Hospital Ethics Committee for researchers who meet the criteria for access to confidential information, due to restrictions outlined in the consent form. References 1. Obstet Gynecol , 1 — Sex Transm Dis , 31 11 — Clin Infect Dis , 21 6 — Sex Transm Infect , 83 6 — Sex Transm Infect , 76 5 — Sobel J: Vaginitis.
The New England Journal of Medicine , 26 — P: Delivery and late miscarriage. BMJ , — N Engl J Med , 26 — The Lancet , — J Infect Dis , 11 — J Am Acad Nurse Pract , 22 — Clin Infect Dis , 44 2 — Chapple A, Hassell K, Nicolson M, Cantrill J : 'You don't really feel you can function normally': women's perceptions and personal management of vaginal thrush. Journal of reproductive and infant psychology , 18 4 — Sex Transm Infect , 74 5 — J Low Genit Tract Dis , 14 4 — Karasz A, Anderson M: The vagina monologues: women's experiences of vaginal complaints in a primary care setting.
Soc Sci Med , 56 5 — Obstet Gynecol , 90 1 — Boskey ER: Alternative therapies for bacterial vaginosis: a literature review and acceptability survey. Altern Ther Health Med , 11 5.
Am J Public Health , 91 10 — Sex Transm Dis , 34 9 — Sex Transm Dis , 37 2 BMC Infect Dis , 13 1 Altern Ther Health Med , 20 — Verstraelen H, Verhelst R: Bacterial vaginosis: an update on diagnosis and treatment. An Internet survey. Am J Obstet Gynecol , 4 — Fam Pract , 18 3 — Am J Obstet Gynecol , 1 — Int J Qual Health Care , 19 6 — J Infect Dis , — Brisbane Convention Centre, Brisbane Australia; Braun V, Clarke V: Using thematic analysis in psychology.
Qualitative Research in Psychology , 3 2 — Ann Clin Microbiol Antimicrob , 5 1 Obstet Gynecol , 99 3 — Support Center Support Center. External link. Please review our privacy policy. Number of times had BV diagnosed in the past. Participant 10 , age I just sort of like tried different homeopathic things like the bath where you sit in apple cider vinegar diluted with water. Antibiotics kill the "bad" bacteria that cause symptoms.
But symptoms often come back after antibiotic treatment. Normally, there are a lot of "good" bacteria and some "bad" bacteria in the vagina. The good types help control the growth of the bad types.
In women who have bacterial vaginosis, the balance is upset. There aren't enough good bacteria, and there are too many bad bacteria. Experts aren't sure what causes the bacteria in the vagina to get out of balance. But certain things make it more likely to happen. Your risk of getting bacterial vaginosis is higher if you:. Bacterial vaginosis is more common in women who are sexually active. But women who aren't having sex can also get it.
Here are some tips to help prevent bacterial vaginosis. Bacterial vaginosis may be passed between women during sexual contact.
If you have a female sex partner, you may benefit from using protection and carefully washing shared sex toys. It is always important to practice safer sex to prevent sexually transmitted infections, whether or not you have bacterial vaginosis. Preventing an STI is easier than treating an infection after it occurs. Bacterial vaginosis is generally not considered a sexually transmitted infection STI. But if you are exposed to an STI while you have bacterial vaginosis, you are more likely to get that infection.
Many women who have bacterial vaginosis don't notice any symptoms. It doesn't typically cause itching. But it does cause:. The symptoms are similar to some sexually transmitted infections such as trichomoniasis , chlamydia , and gonorrhea and to a vaginal yeast infection. Bacterial vaginosis often clears up on its own. But in some women it doesn't go away on its own. And for many women it comes back after it has cleared up.
Antibiotic treatment works for some women but not others. Bacterial vaginosis usually doesn't cause other health problems. But in some cases it can lead to serious problems. Bacterial vaginosis can be hard to distinguish from other types of vaginal infection. Consider the following if you have any signs of vaginal infection.
Call your doctor now if you:. Call your doctor for an appointment if you:. It's a good idea to contact or see your doctor about unusual vaginal symptoms.
If your symptoms are due to a sexually transmitted infection STI and not bacterial vaginosis, you may infect a sex partner if you delay treatment. Doctors diagnose bacterial vaginosis by asking about symptoms, doing a pelvic exam , and taking a sample of the vaginal discharge.
The sample can be tested for bacterial vaginosis. A sample of discharge is checked for bacteria, white blood cells, and unusual cells called clue cells. These clue cells are one sign of bacterial vaginosis. A special solution is added to a sample of discharge to see if it gives off a strong fishy odor. This odor usually means you have bacterial vaginosis. The pH of a sample of vaginal discharge is measured. In particular, the L. However, a few studies have shown non-native probiotics like L. Often, these probiotics were successfully taken by study participants at the same time as antibiotics and during the menstrual cycle since menstrual blood can shift vaginal pH.
Whole foods that contain lactobacilli like yogurt and kefir, probiotic suppositories, or probiotic supplements like Happy V are completely fine to try out after consulting with a healthcare provider, she says. In fact, research suggests condoms could be just as beneficial for stopping BV recurrence as abstaining from sex altogether thanks to the protective barrier they create between you and your sex partner.
Because menstrual blood has a very high pH, it increases your overall vaginal pH and causes counts of lactobacilli to tank, says Dr. For this reason, getting your period or experiencing heavier-than-usual periods could increase your risk of recurrent BV if your body struggles to recover healthy amounts of lactobacilli afterwards. In fact, having a copper IUD Paragard has been linked to recurrent BV, likely due to the common side effect of increased menstrual bleeding, per a study in Clinical Infectious Diseases.
Think this might be the case for you? Talk to a healthcare provider about hormonal birth control methods. A couple studies show opting for a type of BC that lightens your period or stops it completely might do the trick for recurrent BV. Go here to join Prevention Premium our best value, all-access plan , subscribe to the magazine, or get digital-only access.
When should you call your doctor? Are pregnant and have symptoms of a vaginal infection. Call your doctor for an appointment within 1 week if you: Have vaginal discharge with an unusual or foul odor. Have vaginal itching. Have pain during sex or during urination. Develop any other discomfort or discharge that may mean you have a vaginal infection. If you have not been diagnosed with bacterial vaginosis but you have symptoms that concern you, see: Female Genital Problems and Injuries.
Abdominal Pain, Age 12 and Older. Abnormal Vaginal Bleeding. Exams and Tests Your doctor may test you for bacterial vaginosis if you: Have symptoms.
Are going to have a hysterectomy or surgical abortion. Bacterial vaginosis increases infection risk afterwards. Are pregnant and have symptoms.
Laboratory tests to detect signs of bacterial vaginosis may include: Wet mount. A sample of vaginal discharge is mixed with a salt normal saline solution after placing it on a microscope slide. The prepared slide is examined to identify the bacteria present, to look for white blood cells that point to an infection, and to look for unusual cells called clue cells.
The presence of clue cells is one sign of bacterial vaginosis. Whiff test. Several drops of a potassium hydroxide KOH solution are added to a sample of vaginal discharge to find out whether a strong fishy odor is produced. A fishy odor on the whiff test suggests bacterial vaginosis. Vaginal pH. The normal vaginal pH is 3. Bacterial vaginosis usually causes the vaginal pH to rise above 4.
Oligonucleotide probes. This test detects the genetic material DNA of bacterial vaginosis bacteria. Oligonucleotide probe testing is very accurate but is not routinely available in most labs. Treatment Overview Treatment for bacterial vaginosis includes antibiotic medicine oral or vaginal. So your doctor will test and treat you with antibiotics for bacterial vaginosis if you are: Having persistent symptoms. Pregnant and have symptoms. Planning to have a hysterectomy or surgical abortion.
Treating bacterial vaginosis with antibiotics beforehand may lower your risk of getting a serious infection afterward. Talk to your doctor about whether testing is right for you. What to think about If your doctor finds other problems during the exam, such as a possible sexually transmitted infection STI , appropriate treatment will be recommended. Prevention To help prevent bacterial vaginosis: Limit the number of sex partners you have.
Avoid douching. Use condoms consistently. Home Treatment Some women have tried treating bacterial vaginosis with the probiotic Lactobacillus. Medications The antibiotics metronidazole such as Flagyl and MetroGel , clindamycin such as Cleocin and Clindesse , and tinidazole such as Tindamax are used to treat bacterial vaginosis.
During pregnancy, women are usually prescribed oral medicine. When considering treatment for bacterial vaginosis, ask your doctor whether you should: Use oral medicine or medicine inserted into the vagina. Some women prefer to take pills rather than using a vaginal medicine. Avoid having sex during the time that you are being treated. Continue treatment during your menstrual period. Medicine placed in your vagina is harder to use during your period, but your doctor may recommend continuing treatment during this time.
Avoid drinking alcohol during treatment with metronidazole or tinidazole. These medicines can cause severe nausea and vomiting if you drink alcohol when you are taking one of them. Clindamycin does not.
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