Bacterial Vaginosis symptoms
Often there are no symptoms, but you may notice:
- A thin white or gray vaginal discharge
- Odor, pain, itching or burning in the vagina
- Burning when urinating
- Strong fish-like odor, usually after sexual intercourse
How is Bacterial Vaginosis diagnosed?
Your health care provider can examine your vagina for signs of bacterial vaginosis, and lab testing can confirm the infection.
How is Bacterial Vaginosis treated?
Sometimes bacterial vaginosis resolves without treatment, but if you have any of the symptoms, it is important to get a diagnosis and treatment. Your healthcare provider can treat bacterial vaginosis with an antibiotic. Even with antibiotics, however, bacterial vaginosis can recur.
How does Bacterial Vaginosis spread?
- Bacterial vaginosis can occur in women who have never had sex.
- However having a new sex partner, many sex partners and douching can upset the vaginal bacterial balance and put women at increased risk of the infection.
- Bacterial vaginosis is not considered a sexually transmitted infection, but having bacterial vaginosis can increase the chance of getting a sexually transmitted infection.
- Bacterial vaginosis is not spread from toilet seats, bedding, swimming pools or hot tubs.
- Bacterial vaginosis can be spread between female sex partners.
Can Bacterial Vaginosis be avoided?
There is no sure way to avoid bacterial vaginosis but some ways to help prevent it include:
- No sex
- Limit the number of sexual partners
- Do not douche
Can Bacterial Vaginosis affect pregnancy?
It is possible to get bacterial vaginosis when pregnant. There is a greater chance for women with bacterial vaginosis to have premature births or low birth weight babies.
Pregnant women with bacterial vaginosis should get prompt treatment for the infection.
What happens if bacterial vaginosis does not get treated?
If bacterial vaginosis does not go away on its own or does not get the antibiotic treatment, it can cause health risks that include:
- Increased chance of getting sexually transmitted infections such as chlamydia and gonorrhea.
- Increased chance of getting pelvic inflammatory disease which can cause great difficulty in having children.
- Increased chance of premature birth or low birth rate if you have bacterial vaginosis while pregnant.