Vaginal Health 101
This post is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Please consult your healthcare provider for personalized guidance.
One very common thing that I see my female patients for vaginosis. It seems that most of my patients don’t fully understand vaginosis and why it happens or how to prevent it, so my goal for this post is to just make everyone more aware of those things.
Bacterial vaginosis (known as BV) is an imbalance in the normal bacteria found in the vagina. A healthy vagina (as well as every surface of our entire body) has a mix of both “good” and “bad” bacteria. I commonly refer to this as our vaginal flora. When our balance shifts, which typically includes a decrease in our Lactobacillus (which is our good bacteria), the bad bacteria grow which leads to all those pesky symptoms. Our vagina is made to fight imbalances on its own- when it does not have lactobacillus, or very little of it, its fighting power is minimal. Without lactobacillus, the other bacteria thrive because there is nothing to keep it in check. Things that kill our lactobacillus include antibiotics, douching, hormonal imbalances (this can change the vaginal pH, making it difficult for lactobacillus to survive), and sexual intercourse (this also alters our pH- especially if you don’t wear a condom).
Symptoms of BV
Symptoms of BV include a thin white, gray, or greenish vaginal discharge, strong fishy odor (worse after sex), vaginal itching or irritation, and burning during urinating. Unfortunately, some women with BV may have no symptoms at all.
How to prevent BV
BV is not always completely preventable, but there are things you can do to try!
Avoiding douching or using scented products in the vaginal area.
Use condoms, and limit your number of sexual partners.
Wearing breathable, cotton underwear and changing out of wet clothes quickly.
Maintaining a balanced diet and gut health, which can support overall microbiome stability.
Using probiotics may help some women maintain vaginal health- especially if they contain lactobacillus. Keep in mind this can take up to 2-3 months of consistent use to start working. Once you notice a difference, you should NOT stop taking the probiotics.
Boric acid vaginal suppositories can help maintain a healthy vaginal pH. This something that could be used a couple times a week (just pop one in before bed) or nightly. Please ask your own healthcare provider about their recommendation for you specifically regarding this!
Some other things to note:
Vaginal itching can also be yeast based. This is different from BV, but can be caused by similar things. The treatment for this is different, but available. If you are unsure about if you have yeast or BV, you should ask your provider to test for both.
There is quite a bit of talk about the bacteria called ureaplasma and/or mycoplasma. This can be included in your BV testing, but sometimes you have to ask your provider about it specifically. I will make a separate post about this bacteria as there is a lot of information and a lot of uncertainties with this specific bacteria.
Women who have burning with urinating and end up have a negative urine culture may have BV. I would highly suggest getting a vaginal swab done for BV if this is your case. I would recommend bringing this up to your healthcare provider if you frequently have UTI symptoms, but always a negative urine culture.
It is unclear if there is anything your male partner can do to prevent you from getting BV infections other than wearing condoms. Some things they can try- maintaining good genital hygiene, using water based lubricant only (no spit or silicone based products), avoid switching between anal and vaginal sex, try the probiotics as well, and supporting your significant others treatment plan (abstaining from sex until treatment is finished and her symptoms have improved).
Please, please, please (in my singing Sabrina Carpenter voice) do not switch back and forth between anal and vaginal sex. The vagina is not made to have poop particles and bacteria inside of it and your chance of BV is significantly increased. Please, just don’t do it. Tell your man.
Ok- I think that is it for now. As always, let me know if you have any questions. Even better- ask your own provider about these things!!
Talk soon-
Nina