Bacterial Vaginosis is one of the common conditions women face every single day of their lives.Bv affects around 29% of women in the unites states alone and many people keep wondering if bacterial vaginosis is an STD.

Bacterial Vaginosis is not considered an STD but having it will increase the chances of getting sexually transmitted diseases. There is also little research if sex contributes to BV

What is Bacterial Vaginosis

The vagina has both good and bad bacteria but if something distorts the balance of the bacteria, You get an infection called bacterial vaginosis.

It is one of the common causes of vaginal discharge among women in childbearing ages.

There a few facts to know about bacterial vaginosis and these include :

• Bv happens when there is an overgrowth of bacteria in the vagina.
• It can be treated with antibiotics.
• It is not sexually transmitted.
• In some women, Bv is recurring.
• BV increases the chances of your body being infected with sexually transmitted infections for example Hiv, Gonorrhoea, Syphilis, Trichomonas, and chlamydia.

Causes of bacterial Vaginosis

The causes of Bv are not well understood since there are no specific living organisms that cause infections.

The vagina has both good bacteria and good bacteria but if the bad exceeds the good, you will get an infection, The good bacteria in the vagina is called lactobacilli and any drop will develop into an infection.

Lactobacilli keeps your vagina acidic and prevents the overgrowth of harmful bacteria in your vagina.

Anything that upsets the balance of the bacteria will cause bacterial vaginosis.

Even when the main causes of bacterial vaginosis are not clear, Below are the likely causes and these include :

• Having multiple sex partners or a new sex partner.
• Smoking.
• Douching.
• Oral sex.
• Sitting on the toilet.
• Spread in swimming pools.
• Intestinal worms.
• Diabetes.
• Oral contraceptives.
• Deodorant sprays.
• Deficiency of vitamin B.
• Overusing antibiotic.
• Too tight clothes.

Symptoms of Vaginal Vaginosis

Some women do not experience any symptom of bacterial vaginosis but if you experience some symptoms, below are the identifiers to help you notice BV

Changes in your vaginal discharge

The discharge changes its color to white or gray involving a fishy or sour smell, especially after sexual intercourse.

The vaginal discharge may be thicker lasting longer than normal.

Vagina burning

Your vagina can burn when you urinating or when having sex. Many women with Bv experience this symptom

Itching Vagina

Despite vagina itching being caused by many conditions, Vaginal vaginosis is one of the major causes.

How is BV treated?

Bv is treated with an antibiotic known as metronidazole which can be taken as a single dose or taken for 5 to 7 days.

You can treat Bv by also inserting clindamycin cream or Metronidazole gel.

It is best you ask your doctor about it before you start using anything.

However, some people treat Bv with natural remedies.

When using metronidazole gel or tablets, you should avoid drinking alcohol after taking the treatment for 48 hours because alcohol interacts with the treatment and can make you feel sick or nauseated.

Avoid using condoms if you applied intravaginal clindamycin because it weakens the condoms.

Prevention of Bacterial Vaginosis

The only way to prevent Bv is avoiding all possible things that upset the balance of the bacteria in your vagina.

• Avoid douching.
• Frequent bathing and washing.
• Asking your partners to get examined with BV.
• Use condoms when having sex.
• Avoid douching.
• Wash your vagina regulary.

Questions people ask about BV

What happens if I don’t get treated?

If you do not treat Bv, You increase the risk of :

• Sexually transmitted diseases like gonorrhea, Hiv, Herpes, and Chlamydia
• Early childbirth if you pregnant
• Pelvic Inflammatory Diseases which involves Bv bacteria affecting the fallopian tubes and the uterus.
• An infection after certain procedures like abortion, surgery, cesarean section