Bacterial Vaginosis: Facts Women Should Know

If you're like most women you think yeast infections are the most common type of vaginitis or vaginal infection. Yeast infections are known by many names including candida, monilial infection, and thrush. But yeast infections are actually are the second most common type of vaginal infection

The most common type of vaginal infection? Bacterial vaginosis. In fact, bacteria causes almost 45% of all vaginal infections.

Like the name says, the infection is caused by bacteria. The vagina normally has a protective bacteria living in it. The protective bacteria is called lactobacillus. This protective bacteria does its work by maintaining the pH of the vagina.

Why is the pH so important? The pH keeps other harmful bacteria and yeast from taking over the vagina.

Sometimes the lactobacillus is not able to totally control the pH. At those times harmful bacteria take over. Why the lactobacillus is not able to control the situation is not known, but the results are known.

The harmful bacteria take over. When this happens an infection known as bacterial vaginosis happens. The most common symptom of bacterial vaginosis is a discharge which has a strong almost fishy odor. The odor is usually noticed after having sex or at the end of the menstrual period. The discharge can be clear, milky or gray.

Why Should A Woman Care About Bacterial Vaginosis?

Other than the odor, the infection can spread from the vagina to the fallopian tubes. The spreading infection can lead to sterility and other problems.

If you are a woman using an IUD for birth control and think you have bacterial vaginosis call your health care provider immediately. The bacterial vaginosis bacteria can go up the "strings" of your IUD infecting your uterus and fallopian tubes.

If a woman is pregnant and gets bacterial vaginosis, the infection can lead to a 60 percent increased risk of early or premature delivery.

How Do You Know You Have Bacterial Vaginosis?

If you are unsure you can use one of the over the counter tests for bacterial or yeast infections. The test costs under $20 and works by testing pH. The bacteria causing bacterial vaginosis raise the pH. Just make sure to follow the test directions carefully. Like any test there are factors which can affect the results.

Pregnant? Call your health care provider as soon as the office is open. Your baby is too important to wonder if an infection is or isn't one type or another.

How Does Healthcare Provider Know You Have Bacterial Vaginosis?

When you go to your healthcare provider, he or she will examine the discharge under a microscope. Bacterial vaginosis discharge has a unique characteristic. When a drop of saline is placed on the slide the bacteria move into a unique clumping pattern. The pattern is called clue cells.

What Is The Treatment For Bacterial Vaginosis?

The usual treatment for bacterial vaginosis is antibiotics. No over the counter (OTC) product is approved for treatment of bacterial vaginosis. This is why talking with your healthcare provider is so important.

Unfortunately the chance of bacterial vaginosis reoccurring is very high. You may want to think about using a combination of medical and natural treatments.

Natural treatments focus on two areas: re-establishing healthy bacteria back in the vagina and lifestyle changes. Lifestyle changes can be as simple as not wearing thongs.

Using natural and lifestyle treatments can help women decrease the potential of bacterial vaginosis happening again.