Is Bacterial Vaginosis A STD?

One of the main misconception is that bacterial vaginosis is a sexually transmitted disease (STD).

It is not.

Non-health professionals can think of bacterial vaginosis as an infection; however, bacterial vaginosis is really just an imbalance of the vaginal flora, not a STD. When the imbalance occurs, then certain anaerobic bacteria such as Gardnerella bacteria increase their numbers.

This causes symptoms such as a gray discharge, vaginal irritation and also a fishy odor that worsens after sexual intercourse.

There has been a debate about this in the past, mostly amongst lay people. Health professionals know that the imbalance of flora in those with bacterial vaginosis can be found in virgins!

And because this is the case, then bacterial vaginosis really cannot be counted as a sexually-transmitted disease, one transmitted through the act of sexual intercourse.

Studies do find that if a woman has three or four sexual partners, she has a higher risk of developing bacterial vaginosis. It’s possible that higher numbers of bacteria could potentially be transferred from males to females but this hasn’t actually been proven in the research studies yet.

Men are not generally treated when his partner has bacterial vaginosis. Even so, health professionals recommend that women stay loyal to their partner and not have multiple sex partners.

Bacterial vaginosis can be associated with having a new partner.

Health professionals also recommend abstinence as a way to prevent bacterial vaginosis or its recurrence.

Bacterial Vaginosis vs Trichomonas

Another reason that people don’t understand that bacterial vaginosis is not a sexually transmitted disease is because bacterial vaginosis is treated with Flagyl, which is also used to treat the sexually transmitted disease called Trichomonas.

The difference is that Trichomonas has a green, frothy discharge whereas the discharge in bacterial vaginosis is grayish. There’s a fishy odor to the vaginal secretions in bacterial vaginosis but not in Trichomonas.

Bacterial Vaginosis vs Yeast Infection

A yeast infection is similar to bacterial vaginosis in that it is usually an imbalance of flora. Yeast normally grow amongst the normal flora in the vagina and in the intestine. It’s only when our immune system is suppressed, when we take an antibiotic, when we are exceptionally stressed for long periods of time, when we eat processed foods and sugary foods for long periods of time, or when we have accumulations of heavy metals that we are most prone to develop yeast infections.

In yeast infections, the discharge is white like cottage cheese. In bacterial vaginosis, the discharge is grayish. There is usually not an odor to yeast infections.