All about bacterial vaginosis
What is it?
Several bacteria and fungi are present in the vagina, which together form a balance. In bacterial vaginosis, this balance is out of balance. That means more of one or more types of bacteria grow and crowd out the good lactic acid bacteria (and the pH rises). It doesn't matter which bacteria (for example, gardnerella vaginalis) are overgrowing, it's all about the ratio of all the bacteria.
What kind of complaints are there?
Because of the imbalance, you may experience symptoms, namely more discharge than you are used to with a grayish-white color and this can have an unpleasant smelling, "fish" odor. Pain, itching, redness of the vagina or vulva or urinary symptoms do not fit bacterial vaginosis.
How does it arise?
Why it occurs is not entirely clear, but we know that certain things can contribute to upsetting the balance of the vagina: using soaps, creams or vaginal washes in the vagina, various medications (antibiotics, corticosteroids), diabetes, stress, smoking, menstruation and pregnancy. Other factors that increase the risk of bacterial vaginosis are women having sex with women, sharing sex toys and having multiple sex partners. It is not an STI and not an infection; you can also develop it without having had sex.
What can you do about it?
Bacterial vaginosis can pass on its own, so you can just wait and see, and there is no harm in that. If the symptoms are very unpleasant, you can also be treated with antibiotics, which reduce the overgrown bacteria so that there is enough room again for the lactic acid bacteria. Treatment with antibiotics can be through a capsule in the vagina, tablets or cream in the vagina. You cannot take medication preventively to prevent bacterial vaginosis. Probiotics or vitamin C are not useful as treatment.
You can do some things yourself to restore the balance of bacteria in your vagina. Wash your vulva (part outside, so your skin and vulval lips) with water and do not use soap, your vagina (inside) cleans itself, so you do not need to use vaginal rinses, vaginal deos or oil to keep it clean. On the contrary, these agents can irritate the mucous membrane of the vagina and actually cause an imbalance in the ratio of bacteria. Furthermore, it is important not to have sex when you are not yet aroused, wait with it until your vagina is properly moist, otherwise this can also cause irritation. Using a condom probably helps to prevent bacterial vaginosis, especially with multiple sexual contacts.
Bacterial vaginosis and pregnancy
If you are pregnant and get bacterial vaginosis, you may have a slightly higher risk of premature birth, a late miscarriage or indeed an infection in your uterus. Unfortunately, treatment does not reduce the risk of this during pregnancy.
If you have altered discharge and think you have an STI or bacterial vaginosis, stop by Onedayclinic for a consultation with a doctor.
Sources:
https://www.degynaecoloog.nl/onderwerpen/vaginale-afscheiding/
https://www.soaaids.nl/nl/alle-soas/bacteriele-vaginose
https://richtlijnen.nhg.org/standaarden/fluor-vaginalis#volledige-tekst
