![]() Recurrent BV might happen when the infection isn’t fully treated, something messes up the balance of your bacteria again, or a layer of microorganisms known as a biofilm forms to protect BV-causing bacteria.īesides disrupting your work and sex life, recurrent BV can also lead to serious complications. “For decades, bacterial vaginosis has been treated with antibiotics to eliminate the harmful bacteria, but often this does not fix the underlying problem of an imbalanced vaginal microbiome, and many women experience an endless cycle of BV episodes,” Dr. “Many women experience an endless cycle of BV episodes.” However, 80% of women who go in for treatment end up with another infection within three months, according to a 2020 review published in the European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology. When that doesn’t work, a trip to your doc for antibiotics such as metronidazole or clindamycin in the form of oral pills or a vaginal gel can sometimes do the trick, despite common side effects like nausea and spin-off yeast infections. If you’re in the midst of a battle with BV, you know the process: Hit the self-checkout line with over-the-counter suppositories, take a break from sex, sleep without underwear, and avoid hot baths. All of the above can increase your risk of developing BV, but what exactly causes it remains a mystery. “Furthermore, the vaginal microbiome fluctuates throughout the menstrual cycle, when using contraception such as birth control pills or intrauterine devices, during pregnancy, with exposure to semen, shared sex toys, and douching,” says Dr. Variations in vaginal pH-and in turn a greater susceptibility to developing BV-seem to be linked to many different factors such as your diet, geography, genetics, race, or ethnicity. ![]() Research suggests up to a third of women who have sex with people who have penises and around up to half of women who have sex with people who have vaginas develop BV at some point in their lives, making it the most common vaginal infection in existence. With lower lactobacilli counts, the vaginal pH goes up, allowing ‘bad’ bacteria to take hold and cause an overgrowth of pathogens or disease-causing microorganisms like viruses. What is bacterial vaginosis, again?īacterial vaginosis is what happens when the amount of ‘good’ bacteria like lactobacilli and ‘bad’ bacteria known as anaerobes is disturbed. Whether you keep getting bacterial vaginosis, think you might have the condition, or are just curious, it’s understandable to have questions.
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