The medical director, Genius Touch Health Care Group, Dr. Oyetola Samuel Omomurewa, discusses the causes, symptoms and treatment of bacteria vaginosis in this interview with Opeyemi Adefemi
What is bacteria vaginosis?
Bacteria vaginosis is a bacterial infection that is common among women of childbearing age. It occurs when there is an imbalance in the beneficial and harmful bacteria population in the vagina. It is important to note that every part of the human body has bacteria. Bacterium is one type of microorganism that humans can never do without. It’s on the skin, in the throat, in your mouth, on the palm and everywhere else on the body. The good thing, however, is that there are beneficial bacteria, apart from the ones that are harmful to the health of humans. Bacteria vaginosis generally occurs because of the imbalance in the spectrum of bacteria present in the vagina.
Does bacteria vaginosis affect only women of childbearing age?
Yes, it is typically an infection that affects women of childbearing age. It is commoner in women with multiple sexual partners or a woman who changes sexual partner. Though BV is not classed as a sexually transmitted infection, it can be contracted through sexual activities. If a man sits on a toilet bowl and is exposed to a certain type of bacteria; he can introduce the bacteria into a woman’s body during a sexual intercourse. Where this changes or alters the vagina PH, the woman runs the risk of coming down with bacteria vaginosis.
What bacteria are responsible for bacteria vaginosis?
It’s not just one type of bacteria. That is why it is important that when you notice symptoms, you just don’t go over the counter to buy drugs. It is very important to see a doctor who would recommend a laboratory test, so as to know the exact type of bacteria causing the bacteria vaginosis. Doing this will be a guide on the best treatment approach. Some of the bacteria that cause bacteria vaginosis include Staphylococcus aureus and E. coli. There are certain bacteria that are supposed to prevent those bacteria. An example is Lactobacillus. But if the Lactobacillus population is low, it will give room for other harmful bacteria to come in and cause harm.
What are the symptoms of bacteria vaginosis?
Its symptoms include itching of the vagina, having a characteristic smell from the vagina and sometimes having very strange vagina discharge. The next commonest symptoms are pain during urination and pain during sex; but these symptoms are also found in some sexually transmitted infections. So, the best thing is to go to the hospital for proper diagnosis.
Can bacteria vaginosis cause infertility?
Yes. When a woman has bacteria vaginosis that is left untreated for a long period of time it can cause infection and inflammation of the upper genitalia tract, resulting in an infection called Pelvic Inflammation Disease. Again, if BV is left untreated, it can also cause the fallopian tube in the woman’s reproductive system to be blocked, which will definitely make conception difficult for the woman. In fact, if a woman has untreated bacteria vaginosis, her chances of getting a good result from an assisted reproduction process like IVF, are slim. I must also mention that untreated bacteria vaginosis exposes a woman to the risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections.
What are the possible complications of bacteria vaginosis in a pregnant woman?
It can lead to miscarriage or the baby being born preterm. It can also predispose the child to cerebral palsy. Those are the risk associated with a pregnant woman having bacteria vaginosis.
Are there safe treatment options for a pregnant with bacteria vaginosis?
There are antibiotics that pregnant women can use. If a pregnant woman has BV she should see her doctor who will evaluate and do a risk analysis to know the right antibiotics that will work for her and the duration of use. It is possible to treat bacteria vaginosis during pregnancy, it just depends on the timing
Is bacteria vaginosis sexually transmitted?
No, it is not sexually transmitted but it can increase the risk of getting an STI, such as chlamydia.
What are the risk factors for bacteria vaginosis in women?
There are hygiene practices that can predispose a woman to bacteria vaginosis. Hygiene practices like douching or washing the vagina with soap can cause an imbalance in the PH of the vagina and this predisposes a woman to bacteria vaginosis. Some soaps are highly alkaline and they alter the PH of the vagina, thereby wiping out the normal bacteria population that protect the vagina against the harmful or infectious bacteria. So, using douches and soaps can expose a woman to bacteria vaginosis.
