What is bv
Last updated: April 1, 2026
Key Facts
- BV affects the vaginal microbiome, where harmful anaerobic bacteria multiply and replace beneficial Lactobacillus species
- It is the most common vaginal infection in women of reproductive age, affecting approximately 29% of women in the U.S.
- The hallmark symptom is a thin, gray or whitish vaginal discharge with a distinctive fishy odor
- BV increases the risk of sexually transmitted infections, pelvic inflammatory disease, and complications in pregnancy
- BV is treatable with antibiotics (metronidazole or clindamycin) and can recur in 15-30% of treated patients
Understanding Bacterial Vaginosis
Bacterial vaginosis is not technically a true infection caused by a single pathogen, but rather an imbalance of the vaginal microbiota. The healthy vagina is dominated by Lactobacillus bacteria, which maintain an acidic environment that prevents harmful bacteria from thriving. In BV, this balance is disrupted, allowing anaerobic bacteria to proliferate.
Causes and Risk Factors
The exact cause of BV remains unclear, but several risk factors increase likelihood:
- New or multiple sexual partners: Sexual activity can disrupt the vaginal microbiota
- Douching: Disrupts natural vaginal bacteria
- Hormonal changes: Related to menstrual cycle, pregnancy, or hormonal contraception
- Antibiotic use: Can eliminate protective Lactobacillus species
- Smoking and stress: May affect vaginal immune function
Symptoms
Many women with BV have no symptoms and discover it only during medical screening. When symptoms occur, they typically include:
- Thin, gray, white, or greenish vaginal discharge
- Strong fishy odor, especially after sexual intercourse
- Vaginal itching or burning (though less common than discharge)
- Pelvic discomfort or pain during urination
Health Complications
Untreated BV increases the risk of pelvic inflammatory disease, ectopic pregnancy, and preterm labor in pregnant women. Additionally, BV significantly raises susceptibility to sexually transmitted infections including chlamydia, gonorrhea, and HIV.
Treatment and Prevention
BV is highly treatable with prescription antibiotics such as metronidazole (Flagyl) or clindamycin, typically administered orally or vaginally. Prevention strategies include avoiding douching, limiting sexual partners, practicing safer sex, and maintaining overall vaginal health. However, recurrence is common, occurring in 15-30% of treated women.
Related Questions
What causes bacterial vaginosis?
BV is caused by an imbalance of vaginal bacteria where protective Lactobacillus species decrease and harmful anaerobic bacteria increase. Risk factors include new sexual partners, douching, and antibiotic use.
Is bacterial vaginosis an STI?
BV is not technically a sexually transmitted infection, though sexual activity can increase risk. However, it increases susceptibility to actual STIs like chlamydia and gonorrhea.
Can bacterial vaginosis go away on its own?
Some cases of mild BV may resolve without treatment, but medical treatment with antibiotics is recommended to reduce complications and prevent recurrence.
More What Is in Daily Life
- What Is a Credit ScoreA credit score is a three-digit number, typically ranging from 300 to 850, that represents your cred…
- What Is CD rates make no sense based on length of time invested. Explain like I'm 5CD (Certificate of Deposit) rates often don't increase with longer lock-up times the way people expe…
- What is a phdA PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) is a doctoral degree earned after completing advanced academic research…
- What is a polymathA polymath is a person with deep knowledge and expertise across multiple different fields or academi…
- What is aaveAAVE stands for African American Vernacular English, a dialect with distinct grammar, pronunciation,…
- What is aarch64ARMv8-A (commonly called ARM64 or AArch64) is a 64-bit processor architecture developed by ARM Holdi…
- What is about menTopics and discussions about men typically encompass masculinity, male identity, gender roles, men's…
- What is abiturAbitur is the German academic qualification awarded upon completion of secondary education, typicall…
- What is abrosexualAbrosexual is a sexual orientation identity where a person's sexual attraction changes or fluctuates…
- What is abgABG is an Indonesian acronym standing for 'Anak Baru Gede,' which refers to adolescent girls or teen…
- What is aaaAAA batteries are a standard cylindrical battery size measuring 10.5mm in diameter and 44.5mm in len…
- What is aacAAC (Advanced Audio Codec) is a digital audio compression format that provides better sound quality …
- What is aaa gameAAA games are high-budget video games developed by large studios with budgets typically exceeding $1…
- What is a proxyA proxy is a server that acts as an intermediary between your device and the internet, forwarding yo…
- What is ableismAbleism is discrimination and prejudice against people with disabilities based on the assumption tha…
- What is absAbs, short for abdominal muscles, are the muscles in your core that flex your spine and stabilize yo…
- What is abortionAbortion is a medical procedure that ends pregnancy by removing the fetus before viability. It can b…
- What is accutaneAccutane (isotretinoin) is a powerful prescription medication derived from vitamin A used to treat s…
- What is acetaminophenAcetaminophen, also known as paracetamol, is an over-the-counter pain reliever and fever reducer use…
- What is acidAcid is a chemical substance that donates protons (hydrogen ions) to other substances, characterized…
Also in Daily Life
- How To Save Money
- Why are so many white supremacist and right wings grifters not white
- Does "I'm 20 out" mean youre 20 minutes away from where you left, or youre 20 minutes away from your destination
- Why are so many men convinced that they are ugly
- What does awol mean
- What does asl mean
- What does ad mean
- What does asap mean
- What does apex mean
- What does asmr stand for
- What does atp mean
- What causes autism
- What does abg mean
- What does am and pm mean
- What does a fox sound like
More "What Is" Questions
Trending on WhatAnswer
Browse by Topic
Browse by Question Type
Sources
- CDC - Bacterial Vaginosis Information public domain
- Wikipedia - Bacterial Vaginosis CC-BY-SA-4.0