Fight Against BV » Bacterial Vaginosis Information

What Are The Health Complications of Bacterial Vaginosis?

admin — Tue, 04 May 2010 06:58:05 +0000

Usually bacterial vaginosis do not cause much health complications if it is identified and treated right from the beginning. There is a risk the woman might be vulnerable to other health complications due to bacterial vaginosis if it is left untreated for a prolonged time.

The most important thing to note is that bacterial vaginosis do not cause death.

Some of the complications of bacterial vaginosis are :

Risk of having Pelvic Inflammatory disease and other pelvic related diseases (Further Reading : The Relationship Between PID and BV)
Increased complications during pregnancy (Further Reading : Can Bacterial Vaginosis Prevent Pregnancy?
Higher risk to be vulnerable to sexually transmitted diseases like gonorrhea, Chlamydia (Further Reading : Is Bacterial Vaginosis A STD?, Bacterial Vaginosis Complications That Your Gynecologist Didn’t Tell You)

Bacterial Vaginosis FAQ

What Are The Risks Involved If I Have Bacterial Vaginosis During Pregnancy?

admin — Mon, 03 May 2010 15:45:06 +0000

There are cases where the mother was having bacterial vaginosis while she was pregnant and it resulted in either premature birth or low birth weight for the baby and possibly urinary tract infection (UTI) after delivery.

There are also some inconclusive studies that showed a link between bacterial vaginosis with second trimester miscarriage.

However, medical experts do not know exactly why only some women who suffers from bacterial vaginosis ended up giving birth prematurely while some others don’t.

The U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that all pregnant mothers be checked for bacterial vaginosis during the early stages of pregnancy and treated accordingly, if needed. (Further Reading : Can Bacterial Vaginosis Prevent Pregnancy?)

Bacterial Vaginosis FAQ

How Can I Get Bacterial Vaginosis?

admin — Sun, 02 May 2010 22:31:26 +0000

There are many ways you can contract bacterial vaginosis. However, through science and research, it remains inconclusive of what exactly causes bacterial vaginosis.

The main argument is that bacterial vaginosis occurs due to the imbalance of bacteria found in the vaginal flora. There are the good bacteria called Lactobacillus and bad bacteria called Anaerobes. Both these bacteria live in a perfect balance to form a healthy vaginal flora. However, when the bad bacteria, Anaerobes overpopulates the good bacteria, Lactobacillus , then bacterial vaginosis occurs.

Even though bacterial vaginosis is the most common vaginal infection today, there are still a lot unknowns about it throughout the medical communities worldwide. There are questions like how exactly the Anaerobes (bad bacteria) plays a role in causing bacterial vaginosis.

There are also arguments about bacterial vaginosis is caused by having several sexual partners, but research results proved inconclusive until today.

However, you can greatly reduce your risk of getting bacteria vaginosis if you practice the general steps below.

Have only one sexual partner at any single time. This includes your partner as well. (Further Reading : How Oral Sex Could Easily Cause Bacterial Vaginosis)
Do not douche if possible. Otherwise limit it to once a week. Vaginal douching upsets the perfect vaginal flora balance which could be a breeding groud for bad bacterias and eventually lead to BV. (Further Reading : What Is A Healthy Vaginal Flora And How to Have One, How Lactobacillus Acidophilus Can Fight Bacterial Vaginosis)
Make sure that you know what you are doing if you’re using intrauterine device (IUD) for contraception. Find out more about it’s potential risks because having a IUD inside your uterus could lead to bacterial vaginosis.

There is a very significant link between one’s sexual activities and bacterial vaginosis. But it is not proven through research yet.

This is because a high percentage of women who suffers from bacterial vaginosis are very active sexually.

Bacterial Vaginosis FAQ

Is Bacterial Vaginosis Common Among Women?

admin — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 21:57:21 +0000

Most women are familiar with vaginal yeast infection rather than bacterial vaginosis. This has lead a lot of women to assume that vaginal yeast infection is the most common vaginal infection.

But the truth is, it is not.

In fact, bacterial vaginosis is more common among women compared to vaginal yeast infection. This is especially true for women who are in the childbearing age bracket, usually 20s to 30s and sexually active.

In the United States alone, it is estimated that around 16% of women suffer from bacterial vaginosis during their pregnancy stage. Studies also showed that 1 in every 4 women will suffer from bacterial vaginosis at some stage of their life.

Bacterial Vaginosis FAQ

The Relationship Between PID and BV

admin — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 17:31:31 +0000

At first when most women hear that there’s a relationship between Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) and bacterial vaginosis (BV), they are shocked.

“PID!!?” they ask.

“I didn’t know it was that bad!”

Pelvic inflammatory disease is definitely not something that you want to have, ever!

There’s a lot of pain in the entire abdominal area, pain that can double you over and make you not want to get out of bed except to go to the hospital. The pain can be accompanied by a fever.

The pain is from all the inflammation that is occurring in the uterus, fallopian tubes, and/or ovaries. These are your female organs and if the inflammation progresses, it can lead to scar formation with adhesions. Once you have adhesions, it becomes difficult to get pregnant and also if you do get pregnant, it’s possible that the adhesions can interfere with the developing fetus and possibly cost you your life.

So Pelvic Inflammatory Disease is no laughing matter and it’s nothing to brush off.

The reason why all that inflammation is there in the first place is that there is an infection – a bacterial infection, viral infection, fungal infection, parasitic infection or a sexually transmitted disease. Gonorrhea is associated with a high percentage of those with PID. In one study, up to 40% of those with untreated gonorrhea and Chlamydia developed PID.

PID can occur after sex, after giving birth, after an abortion, or even just because you had an IUD. PID can be silent as well as cause its victim a lot of pain; it’s possible that you didn’t even know you had it but the scarring nevertheless is still there to prove it.

The sad news is that 100,000 women become infertile each year because they develop pelvic inflammatory disease.

Pelvic inflammatory disease can also result from an infection that technically isn’t an infection: from having bacterial vaginosis or BV.

Bacterial vaginosis results when the pH of the vagina and the bacterial flora in the vagina is out of balance. The predominant bacteria in the vaginal flora is Lactobacillus, the same bacteria that is found in yogurt. When the bacterial flora are out of balance, the number of Lactobacillus bacteria decreases to a very low level and sometimes that number can approach zero. When this happens, the other bacteria that reside in the vagina will then increase their numbers. The problem with this is that when they do, they begin to cause a discharge, disease, or a smell. When they increase to a high enough number, then it’s possible for pelvic inflammatory disease to result.

The bottom line is that the longer you have bacterial vaginosis, the more you are at risk of developing pelvic inflammatory disease. What this means to you is that you must learn to recognize the signs of BV in your own body. At the first little sign, it’s important to do something about it, such as eat yogurt, take probiotics capsules, do a yogurt douche, or apple cider vinegar bath.

If you feel that it’s essential for you to schedule an appointment with your ob-gyn, then do so. Intuition won’t tell you to do something unless there’s a reason. It could be that you do have another co-existing infection that also needs to be cleared up.

So remember, at the least little sign of something wrong, act. Take positive steps. Protect your uterus, fallopian tubes and ovaries.

Protect your unborn!

Do You Know If You Have Bacterial Vaginosis?

admin — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 14:08:11 +0000

Not sure if you really have bacterial vaginosis?

Did you know that a recent survey showed that one in every three women will be affected by bacterial vaginosis at some point of their life? I know it can be embarrassing to discuss this topic with your friends or sometimes even the doctors! So, here’s a really simple bacterial vaginosis quiz for you. It’s just you and your computer, so there’s nothing to be embarrassed about.

Remember, do this quiz honestly. Just answer the 7 questions you’ll see what are the chances that you are infected by bacterial vaginosis, and what you SHOULD do next.

Click HERE to take the bacterial vaginosis quiz.

The Dangers of Vaginal Sex Toys That You May Not Know

admin — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 11:35:40 +0000

Scientific studies can be found about most topics that are imaginable but some topics seem to have escaped scientific scrutiny. One of those topics that has escaped scrutiny is that of the safety of sex toys.

So if there aren’t any scientific studies, that means that it’s time to compile your own data and make your own decision.

There are two steps to this process: read up on it on the internet and ask experts in the field. Asking your aunt won’t really help much unless she has been a top researcher in the field of plastics or sex toys.

Safety First : What’s In It?

The first thing to consider about sex toy safety is similar to what is the first thing to consider about a child’s toy safety: What is the toy made out of?

Have you ever opened a new sex toy such as a dildo and found the smell of it offending or even nauseating? That new dildo smell is actually the smell of phthalate plastic out-gassing. This can be likened to a new car smell. The chemical smell in the car is the result of all the chemicals used in the production of the car. The out-gassing process can also be likened to the smell of a home that was freshly painted in every room of the house. The smell can be quite overwhelming and even cause headaches, dizziness, and fatigue. For some people with environmental sensitivity, the out-gassing of the chemicals in new paint, a new car, or a new dildo is enough to physically make them ill.

If you feel queasy when you’re around newly painted homes, new carpeting, new cars, and new dildos, then it’s possible that you share environmental sensitivity with many others. To overcome it takes weeks or months of detoxification.

What the Phthalates Do

Did you catch the news reports on phthalates in 2007 through 2009?

They made headline news for several days. The phthalates in plastic (toys, shower curtains, dog dishes, food packaging, Tupperware containers, vinyl flooring, wall coverings, detergents, hair spray, shampoo, nail polish, lubricants, and adhesives) were found to disrupt the endocrine system and cause liver cancer. In men, phthalates were be linked with testicular atrophy (shriveling) and low sperm counts.

The problem was so serious that Congress passed legislation in 2008 to ban six phthalates from children’s toys and cosmetics. There was no legislation, though to ban the phthalates from sex toys.

No Rules and Regulations Restricting Sex Toys in Any Way

The reality of sex toys is that they could contain radioactive material and no one would know it. The FDA has no guidelines or regulations on sex toys because they are sold as novelty items. And you won’t see a telltale triangle with a number in it on a sex toy either as you would on a baby bottle.

The fact is that rubber toys are made of phthalates, jelly rubber sex toys or hard plastic rubber sex toys.

Safety Second : Does Sex Toys Harm Your Body Any Other Way?

The second thing to consider about sex toys is the possible mechanical damage that cause to the inside of the vagina. If a tampon that just sits inside the vaginal tract is enough to cause micro-ulcerations, then what about a sex toy that is very hard and inserted over and over again?

Would this be enough to harm many of the vaginal cells?

Would the combination of the mechanical trauma plus the phthalate be enough to initiate cancer or at least abnormal cellular changes? No one knows for sure but what we do know is that you must make the decision on your own. Don’t let your partner make it for you; he may be long gone ten years from now when you are potentially facing cancer.

How to Talk to Your Man About Your BV

admin — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 09:18:02 +0000

When you have bacterial vaginosis, it’s the bad odor that is truly upsetting. Because the odor comes from such a private part of your body, it’s embarrassing and limits what you want to do. You don’t want to go out in public because you’re afraid that someone will smell you.

You don’t even want your man to know you have bacterial vaginosis!

You don’t want to hang around people at work in the break room for the same reason. And when it comes to the bedroom, you’re afraid of what your man will say when he notices the smell.

Because the best defense is always offense, your best strategy is to talk to your man and tell him the truth about what is occurring. There are several points you will want to make in a non-threatening way.

Below is a list of them.

BV is not spread sexually and he won’t get it.
BV acts up during sex and the odor increases.
Washing with soap and water doesn’t really help decrease the odor.
BV is caused by an imbalance in the vaginal flora, not a sexually-transmitted organism.
You’re working on natural ways to eliminate it and they’re showing real progress.

Your conversation might go something like this:

“Honey, I found out that I have BV and that’s why there’s been that funny smell coming from my vagina recently.”

“Is it contagious?” he asks.

“No, it is not. It’s caused by an imbalance of the flora in the vagina. The good bacteria can be killed if I eat processed foods, candy, skip good meals, that kind of stuff.”

“Okay, that means no more chocolate for Valentine’s Day for you! I want to make love to you every day! I’ll help you keep your diet clean. I’ll be the enforcer,” he says.

“That could help but guess what else I learned… If I use probiotics or yogurt with live cultures in it, this can restore the flora and take the odor away pretty quickly!”

“Well in that case, I will always make sure you have plenty of yogurt and probiotics capsules. I’ve been reading up on them for myself lately and was going to start taking them for my heartburn,” he says.

“I always feel embarrassed when I get that smell. I don’t want you to think I’m dirty or worse yet, that I’ve been seeing someone else.”

“So what you’re saying is that BV is just something that happens to the body when it’s out of balance, kind of like … candida infections?”

“Yes, that’s right. Even virgins can get BV.”

“Wow! Who would have thought that? … Anything else I can do to help you?” he asks, since most men are solution-oriented.

“Not that I can think of. Just keeping the probiotics and yogurt in the refrigerator will help a lot. I’ll let you know though if I think of anything else…”

“Oh, when you get the yogurt,” you continue, “Just make sure that it’s a few billion live cultures and it isn’t flavored.”

(smiling) “I was looking forward to tasting raspberry when we were making love…” he says.

See how easy the conversation goes when you just lay out the facts?

Remember that men will always want to know how they can help so before you start the conversation, make sure you have something in mind that they can do for you.

Is Bacterial Vaginosis A STD?

admin — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 15:05:45 +0000

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.

Beware! Bacterial Vaginosis Is Contagious (And How to Prevent It)

admin — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 01:26:26 +0000

In bacterial vaginosis infection, the microbes that are predominant are most often Gardenerella, Staphylococcus or Streptococcus. These microbes will be reproducing in high numbers inside the vaginal secretions and they will cause a fishy odor smell.

So how is bacterial vaginosis contagious?

To answer this question, think of how infections are spread. Obviously, someone won’t be breathing it in, or will they? Well, if they are having oral sex with the vagina of a woman who has bacterial vaginosis, then it’s possible to be breathing it in–in high quantities through the mouth and nose. When this occurs, the person now has large amounts of the microbe in his or her mouth, throat and possibly nose.

If some vaginal secretions are swallowed, the microbe is now in the intestinal tract. This isn’t really a method for transmission of bacterial vaginosis primarily because the stomach acid may possibly kill it.

The third way that infections are transferred is certainly possible with bacterial vaginosis–through an open cut. If two women for example are having oral sex, or in a kinkier situation with three women when only one woman has bacterial vaginosis, the other two women can contract it from the infected woman.

Tampons cause microulcerations in the vaginal tissue, and when a mouth adds the microbe to the vagina of the woman with the microulcerations, in essence she transports them directly to those microulcerations. The microbes then begin to multiply. You’ll have to imagine the kinky details yourself.

To reduce the risk of contracting bacterial vaginosis, here are three suggestions:

Reduce your dependence on tampons and switch over to sanitary pads. This one habit could save you the microulcerations that leave you prone to infections.
Use the seat paper protectants in the rest rooms. This can potentially limit the transfer of large amounts of microbes to your skin.
Make sure you have adequate protein and essential fats in your diet. Going vegetarian with little high-quality protein (fish, chicken, turkey, beef, pork, wild meats, eggs, milk, dairy products) or eating like Jack Sprat who ate no fat is not healthy. Adequate protein in the diet keeps your skin healthy and resistant to invasion of microbes in small skin abrasions and allows your body to make antibodies to ward off bacteria. Essential fats keep the cell wall strong and resistant to infections.