BV is a result of an imbalance of “good” and “harmful” bacteria in a vagina. Douching, not using condoms, and having new or multiple sex partners can upset the normal balance of vaginal bacteria, increasing your risk for getting BV.
Bacterial vaginosis is caused by a change in the natural balance of bacteria in your vagina. What causes this to happen is not fully known, but you're more likely to get it if: you're sexually active (but women who have not had sex can also get bacterial vaginosis) you have had a change of partner.
Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is an infection in the vagina. Males cannot develop bacterial vaginosis, but they can spread the infection.
It may be that BV-associated bacteria from some men's microbiomes can directly impact the onset of BV in women when they're transmitted to the vagina during intercourse or that the penile bacteria may disrupt the natural balance of vaginal bacteria in ways that could induce BV over time.
In some cases, people worry that they or their partner have a Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI). Although it can be caused by an imbalance of bacteria in the vagina as a result of having sex, BV isn't an STI as these are infections that are passed from person to person by sexual contact.
While you're being treated for BV, you may be advised not to have sex; if you do have sex, your partner should wear condoms. Treating your male partner isn't necessary, however, since studies find it doesn't help prevent another infection. Female partners may need treatment, however.
Recurrent bacterial vaginosis is an imbalance of the vaginal bacteria normally present in the vagina. Bacterial vaginosis is a common condition and treatment is available; however, in some women the condition may recur or even become chronic, requiring multiple and sometimes long-term treatments.
Most often, BV does not cause other health problems. However, if left untreated, BV may increase your risk for: Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) like herpes, chlamydia, gonorrhea, and HIV. Pelvic inflammatory disease where BV bacteria infect the uterus or fallopian tubes.
Within a month, antibiotics clear up to 85% of bacterial vaginosis cases, yet for over half of these patients, BV will return within 6 months. This is thought to be in part because the antibiotics don't fully eradicate the pathogenic microbes, leaving BV-associated bacteria to regrow in the vagina following treatment.
While there's no male equivalent of BV, some men do acquire a male version of a yeast infection, called tinea cruris (or jock itch).
Any change in your immune health—like stress—can impact your vaginal pH level, making a yeast infection and/or bacterial vaginosis more common.
Semen is alkaline and the vagina is acidic, which means unprotected sex with a male partner may disrupt the natural balance of bacteria within your vagina. Unprotected sex with a male partner can also lead to STIs like chlamydia, gonorrhoea and HIV, as bacteria and viruses can be carried in semen and pre-cum.
BV is often caused by gardnerella vaginalis, the most common type of bacteria in your vagina. Anything that changes the chemistry of your vagina's pH balance can mess with bacteria levels and lead to infection — like douching or using vaginal deodorants and other irritating products.
Men can't get BV because the penis doesn't have the same delicate balance of bacteria. In addition, bacterial vaginosis doesn't spread like a sexually transmitted infection (STI).
Some women suffer from chronic (recurring) bacterial vaginosis. Medicine can clear up the infection, but it returns again after a few weeks. Some women report that bacterial vaginosis returns after their period each month. Or it can return after they have sex.
Which probiotics are best for BV? Lactobacilli-based probiotics such as Lacticasebacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus fermentum, and Lactobacillus reuteri are best for treating BV.
Once you start treatment with a simple course of antibiotics, the symptoms of bacterial vaginosis (BV) usually go away within two to three days. While in some cases it can resolve on its own without treatment, it can take longer to clear up and it can come back.
Semen can also upset your vaginal pH balance. A healthy vagina is normally acidic, while healthy sperm are alkaline, which can throw off the balance of bacteria in your vagina.
While men can't contract BV, they can play a role in their female sexual partners' BV infections by transmitting bacteria present in the genital area.
One possibility is that, in some cases, the condition "spreads" between partners during sex. Another possibility is that sexual relations may prevent good bacteria from growing back. However, women who are not sexually active can also develop BV, so the condition is not always linked to sexual behavior.
The interaction between semen and vaginal discharge can increase your risk of getting BV. Keep it natural. Avoid douching or using scented products on your vulva or in your vagina. These can throw off your vaginal pH, making you more vulnerable to BV.
BV is more prevalent in women who are immunosuppressed, and several risk factors for the development of BV are associated with lower quantities of immune mediators in vaginal fluid.
Bacterial vaginosis (BV) and complicated vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) are frequently occurring vaginal infections in postmenopausal women, caused by an imbalance in vaginal microflora. Postmenopausal women suffer from decreased ovarian hormones estrogen and progesterone.
Postmenopausal women with decreased estrogen have reduced levels of intravaginal lactobacilli; thus, their intravaginal microflora can be colonized by harmful microorganisms that cause BV and VVC.