For recurrent BV it’s frustrating, common and women often feel isolated and hopeless. Recurrence of bacterial vaginosis it typical.
Bacterial vaginosis is the most common cause vaginitis in women 15-44y affecting 21million women. Bacterial Vaginosis, also known as BV, is a common type of bacterial infection causing an inflamed and bothered vagina. It’s caused by an overgrowth of harmful bacteria that disrupts the delicate pH balance of the vagina. Circumstances that increase your risk of BV include unprotected sex, new sexual partners, douching and taking certain antibiotics. Symptoms include itching, burning, redness and swelling along with a classic fishy smelling gray or green vaginal discharge typical for BV. There are women who will not experience any vaginal symptoms associated with BV.
There is a lot of overlap in the symptoms when it comes to infections of the vagina so determining the culprit can be confusing. A yeast infection and STI’s can also have similar symptoms.
Ideally, it’s best to see your health care provider to get a vaginal culture and pelvic exam to make certain of the correct diagnosis.
Several different antibiotics can be used to treat BV, including metronidazole and clindamycin. They can be taken by mouth or inserted into the vagina as a cream or gel. When metronidazole is taken by mouth, it can cause side effects in some patients. These include nausea, vomiting, and darkening of the urine. Do not drink alcohol when taking metronidazole. The combination can cause severe nausea and vomiting. BV often recurs so it may require repeated treatment. In some cases, longer treatment for 3 to 6 months may be needed.
Up to 66% of women experience recurrent BV infections within a year of treatment in treating the original infection.
“Symptoms of bacterial vaginosis can be incredibly uncomfortable and disrupt people’s daily lives. The discomfort of bacterial vaginosis, or BV as some patients may know it, becomes compounded by frustration when this condition comes back repeatedly and is difficult to treat. Partner therapy offers us another avenue for hopefully preventing recurrence and helping people feel better faster,” said Christopher Zahn, MD, FACOG, chief of clinical practice and health equity and quality at ACOG.
The American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists (ACOG) follow new research findings on male sexual partner therapy and a growing body of evidence implicating sexual activity as a risk factor. ACOG’s new recommendations to in some circumstances treat the sexual partners of people with recurrent bacterial vaginosis follow the data available to us at this time. Using Flagyl 500mg taken 3 times a day and Cleocin topically applied to the penis twice a day is recommended for those women with recurrent BV infection.
Most cases of BV do not cause harmful effects to reproductive or maternal health. BV can make women more prone to STI’s and pelvic inflammatory disease which can lead to infertility. In pregnancy, BV has been associated with premature deliveries and low birth weight babies.
There are many infections of the vagina whose symptoms mimic each other. They include bacterial and yeast infections, STI’s such as Chlamydia and Trichomonas’s, skin allergies to latex or feminine hygiene products, lack of estrogen seen in menopausal women and tears in the vagina.
STI’s do not discriminate. They are spread from partner to partner by direct contact, similar to how a common cold is transmitted. At risk are those who have unprotected sex, multiple sex partners, a history of STI’s and those who are prone to alcohol or drug abuse, which affects judgment—a large deciding factor in contracting a sexually transmitted disease.
The only way to truly differentiate BV from a STI is to see your health care provider to take vaginal cultures to make the correct diagnosis. Since both BV and STI can affect future fertility, it is important to make your vagina a priority!
