Potentash
  • Relationships
    • The Singlehood Series
    • Dating
    • Sex
    • Parenting
  • Lifestyle
    • Home
    • Food + Beverage
    • Fashion
    • Interviews
  • Stories
    • The Singlehood Series
    • Fiction
    • Poetry
  • Skin + Beauty
    • Skin
      • Skincare
    • Hair
      • Haircare
  • Wellness
    • Physical Health
    • Emotional Wellness
    • Mental Wellness
    • Social Wellness
    • Spiritual Wellness
  • Business
    • Business Finance
    • Personal Finance
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Investments
    • Personal Investments
  • Entertainment
    • Internet
    • Events
    • Music
    • Books
No Result
View All Result
  • Login
Potentash
  • Relationships
    • The Singlehood Series
    • Dating
    • Sex
    • Parenting
  • Lifestyle
    • Home
    • Food + Beverage
    • Fashion
    • Interviews
  • Stories
    • The Singlehood Series
    • Fiction
    • Poetry
  • Skin + Beauty
    • Skin
      • Skincare
    • Hair
      • Haircare
  • Wellness
    • Physical Health
    • Emotional Wellness
    • Mental Wellness
    • Social Wellness
    • Spiritual Wellness
  • Business
    • Business Finance
    • Personal Finance
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Investments
    • Personal Investments
  • Entertainment
    • Internet
    • Events
    • Music
    • Books
No Result
View All Result
  • Login
Potentash
No Result
View All Result
Bacterial vaginosis isn't an STI

Bacterial vaginosis isn't an STI

Is Bacterial Vaginosis A Sexually Transmitted Infection?

Risk factors and complications that come from BV

Gloria Mari by Gloria Mari
13 October 2023
in Physical Health
Reading Time: 4 mins read
4 0
0
5
SHARES
29
VIEWS
FacebookTwitterWhatsApp

Bacterial vaginosis is a condition whereby there is too much of a specific type of bacteria in the vagina. It affects the balance of bacteria in the vagina. However, it’s not a sexually transmitted infection. It presents as vaginal discharge with a fish-like odour that is thin, grey, or white.

How does BV spread?

It’s mostly common among girls and women aged 15-44. Researchers aren’t entirely certain what causes BV. It does occur more frequently among women who are sexually active. Bacterial vaginosis does increase the risk of contracting STIs and it can also make pregnant women go into labour prematurely.

Studies show that bacterial vaginosis is more common in Africa. It happens when there is a decrease in Lactobacili bacteria which produces hydrogen peroxide. This then causes the overgrowth of Gardnerella vaginalis and other vaginal bacteria.

Bacterial vaginosis can occur under specific conditions such as sharing sex toys. It also occurs more frequently among women who are sexually active, and women who have sex with other women.

Sexual Health: 6 Sex Hygiene Habits You Shouldn’t Skip

Risk factors of bacterial vaginosis

This condition is more common among women who are sexually active. It can be caused by a new or long-time partner whose semen or vaginal mucus affects the pH balance of the vagina. Bacterial vaginosis increases the risk of getting STIs because it increases the risk of pathogens getting access to the upper genital tract. It reduces the impact of compounds within the vagina that fight infections. Do’s And Don’ts For A Healthy Vagina

Bacterial vaginosis is also more likely to occur if you have had infections before. Other risk factors include:

  • using specific antibiotics
  • vaginal douching
  • using intrauterine devices
  • cigarette smoking
  • using perfumed hygiene products
  • sex without condoms
  • sharing sex toys

It’s important to remember that you can’t get BV from toilet seats, bedding, bathtubs or swimming pools. BV isn’t an STI because it can occur among people who have never had sexual intercourse. It’s simply the overgrowth of anaerobic bacteria which is caused by external factors. An STI, by definition, requires the transmission of a pathogen into body tissues.

What happens if you don’t get treatment?

It’s important to get treatment for bacterial vaginosis when you start experiencing symptoms. When you leave BV untreated, it makes it easier to contract an STI. It also makes it easier to transmit an STI to a sex partner.

If you undergo abdominal or vaginal surgery such as a hysterectomy, leaving bacterial vaginosis untreated increases the risk of infection. It can also lead to pelvic inflammatory disease which is an infection that affects the ovaries and fallopian tubes and increases the risk of infertility.

Bacterial vaginosis also increases the risk of pre-term birth and low-weight birth.

Bacterial Vaginosis: Symptoms, Diagnosis And Treatment

How to prevent BV

Don’t use scented products to wash your vaginal areas. Use water and plain soap to clean the outside area. The vagina is self-cleaning. You don’t need to insert any soapy product into the canal. If you need to rinse the area, use plain warm water. Scented products may contain harsh products that inflame vaginal tissue and affect the vaginal microbiota.

Don’t douche. The vagina doesn’t need to be cleaned with harsh chemicals. Most douche packets contain mixtures of water with vinegar, baking soda, or iodine. A normal shower or bath is enough to clean the vagina.

Avoid using sex toys that haven’t been sanitised. 7 Ways To Take Good Care Of Your Sex Toys

To avoid having a partner’s saliva or semen from affecting the vaginal flora, use mouth dams or condoms. Bacterial vaginosis doesn’t cause extreme complications but it’s important to prevent or treat it to avoid any further problems.

Check out:

Health: all about bacterial vaginosis

Health: Does It Hurt When You Pee? Common Reasons For Painful Urination

Health: Common Causes Of Vaginal Pain

All You Need To Know About Vaginal Yeast Infections

Health: 6 Risks Of Getting A Vajacial

Share2Tweet1SendSharePin
Previous Post

Interview: Meet The Firebrand Heiress From The Showmax Telenovela Second Family, Vanessa Okeyo

Next Post

The Singlehood Series: She Meant The World To Me Until She Betrayed Me And Lied To Me

Gloria Mari

Gloria Mari

Gloria Mari is a culture writer based in Nairobi, Kenya. She writes on art, film, literature, health, and the environment. She has previously written for Kenya Buzz, People Daily, The Elephant, and Kalahari Review.

Next Post
The Singlehood Series: She Meant The World To Me Until She Betrayed Me And Lied To Me

The Singlehood Series: She Meant The World To Me Until She Betrayed Me And Lied To Me

Please login to join discussion

Recommended

How to achieve multiple orgasms

Multiple Orgasms: How Do They Happen? Which Positions Are Best For Them?

1 March 2024
122
Nairobi Burger Festival. Was It Worth It?

Nairobi Burger Festival. Was It Worth It?

10 August 2018
90

Popular Stories

  • The Singlehood Series: I Went On A Date A Month After My Father Passed Away

    He Said I Was Wife Material, Then Married Someone Else

    217 shares
    Share 86 Tweet 54
  • She Expected A Proposal, But He Left Her Because She Was Too Independent. Will She Ever Find True Love?

    85 shares
    Share 34 Tweet 21
  • He Ghosted Her After Three Perfect Dates, Then She Saw Him At Church

    83 shares
    Share 33 Tweet 21
  • We Met At Heaven’s Gate Prayer Retreat. The Chemistry Was Not Holy

    28 shares
    Share 11 Tweet 7
  • Let Us Prey – The Billionaire’s Club In My Church

    197 shares
    Share 78 Tweet 49

Potentash Blog

Potentash is an award-winning lifestyle blog. We publish lifestyle content that intersects with health, women, beauty, travel, business, relationships, finances and entertainment.

Explore

  • The Singlehood Series
  • From Stairs To Ramps
  • Man Around Nairobi
  • Pearls And Heels
  • Personal Finance
  • Food + Beverage
  • Editor’s Pick
  • Reviews

Get the Potentash Newsletter

  • Newsletter Archive
  • Subscribe
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Us

Copyright © 2023. Potentash, In Partnership with Decima

Welcome Back!

Sign In with Linked In
OR

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
  • Login
No Result
View All Result
  • Relationships
    • The Singlehood Series
    • Dating
    • Sex
    • Parenting
  • Lifestyle
    • Home
    • Food + Beverage
    • Fashion
    • Interviews
  • Stories
    • The Singlehood Series
    • Fiction
    • Poetry
  • Skin + Beauty
    • Skin
      • Skincare
    • Hair
      • Haircare
  • Wellness
    • Physical Health
    • Emotional Wellness
    • Mental Wellness
    • Social Wellness
    • Spiritual Wellness
  • Business
    • Business Finance
    • Personal Finance
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Investments
    • Personal Investments
  • Entertainment
    • Internet
    • Events
    • Music
    • Books

Copyright © 2023. Potentash, In Partnership with Decima