Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is the commonest vaginal infection seen in women. The Centre of Disease Control (CDC) has recently updated its fact sheet on this common condition.
In summary
BV is linked to an imbalance of “good” and “harmful” bacteria that are normally found in a woman’s vagina. Having a new sex partner or multiple sex partners and douching can upset the balance of bacteria in the vagina and put women at increased risk for getting BV.
BV can cause some serious health risks, including:
Increasing your chance of getting HIV if you have sex with someone who is infected with HIV;
If you are HIV positive, increasing your chance of passing HIV to your sex partner;
Making it more likely that you will deliver your baby too early if you have BV while pregnant;
Increasing your chance of getting other STDs, such as chlamydia and gonorrhoea.
These bacteria can sometimes cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), which can make it difficult or impossible for you to have children.