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Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is a common mild imbalance of bacteria in the vagina. The vagina normally contains a lot of good bacteria, as well as other types of bacteria.
If you have bacterial vaginosis, you may not have any symptoms or you may notice a change in the fluid from your vagina, such as some watery discharge. The fluid may also change in colour or odour, such as a becoming shades of grey or having a fish-like odour.
While BV is more common in women who are sexually active, it can occur in women who are not sexually active. It is usually not considered a sexually transmitted infection.
To find out if you have BV, you must be examined by a doctor, nurse practitioner or nurse. Lab tests of your vaginal fluid may be done.
Your doctor may screen you for bacterial vaginosis if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant and have a history of certain risk factors such as:
Women who have BV and do not have symptoms usually are not treated. The condition tends to go away without medication. When there are symptoms, your health care provider may prescribe treatment, so the infection does not spread into the fallopian tubes and cause a more serious illness.
If you are pregnant, are high-risk for preterm labor, and test positive for bacterial vaginosis, you will be treated with oral, not vaginal, antibiotics.
BV is treated with antibiotics. Your health care provider may prescribe these as a cream inserted into the vagina or as pills taken by mouth. Only medications taken by mouth are used to treat pregnant women.
It is not necessary for male sexual partner(s) to be tested or treated. It is recommended that female partner(s) of women with BV have an assessment and testing for BV as it is more common for female partners to acquire BV.
If you have different sexual partners, or if your partner has different partners, you should also be tested for other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including gonorrhea, chlamydia, and HIV virus linked to AIDS. The more sexual partners you have, the higher your risk of getting a STI. You should also consider getting vaccinations to prevent hepatitis B infection.
Birth control pills may not work very well when you are taking some antibiotics. Keep taking your birth control pills while taking any medication. Use also a second form of birth control, such as a condom, until your next period after completing the antibiotics.
For more information, see HealthLink BC File #08o Condoms Help Prevent Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs).
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For more HealthLink BC File topics, visit www.HealthLinkBC.ca/healthfiles/index.stm or your local public health unit. Click on www.HealthLinkBC.ca or call 8-1-1 for non-emergency health information and services in B.C. For deaf and hearing-impaired assistance, call 7-1-1 in B.C. Translation services are available in more than 130 languages on request. |
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