Bacterial Vaginosis - Know Reasons Behind It!

Bacterial vaginosis is an infection of the vagina that occurs due an imbalance of the vaginal bacteria. The naturally occurring bacteria in the vagina overgrow in number and this creates the imbalance. This disorder is very common among women, especially who are pregnant. This problem is usually not very serious and tends to go away in 4-5 days. However, in certain cases, they can cause serious complications.

The symptoms of bacterial vaginosis are:

1. You may experience vaginal discharge that is white or gray in color

2. You may have constant itching in your vagina

3. The vaginal discharge usually has a foul smelling odor

4. You may have a burning sensation while urinating.

Causes behind it

Vaginal bacteria can be either good or bad. Any disruption in the delicate balance of the vaginal bacteria can lead to bacterial vaginosis. There is no exact known cause of this disorder, but it is believed that having multiple sex partners increases this risk. Other factors can be:

1. Douching: If you clean your vagina with water and other cleansing agents on a regular basis, then it may create bacterial imbalance, thus leading to this infection.

2. Multiple partners: Having multiple sex partners puts you at a higher risk of contracting bacterial vaginosis.

This disorder may also lead to various complications such as:

1. STIs: This infection may make you highly susceptible to various infections such as chlamydia, HIV and gonorrhea.

2. Disorders of the pelvic region: Bacterial vaginosis may lead to inflammation in the pelvic region, which in turn may lead to infertility.

3. Preterm birth: It increases the chance of premature birth.

There are certain preventive measures that you can adopt to prevent this condition:

1. Using soaps which contain no or very little chemicals

2. Use latex condoms during sexual intercourse to prevent STIs.

3. Don’t clean your vagina on a regular basis