A strong fishy smell that becomes pronounced after sexual intercourse, itching or discomfort around the vagina, abdominal discomfort, a burning sensation while urinating, and a thin, watery vaginal discharge—all these could be symptoms that a woman may be suffering from a post-sex condition called bacterial vaginosis (BV).
Notably, this common condition among sexually active heterosexual women could also come without these pronounced symptoms. Though BV has been common, the scientific world has yet to figure out the exact cause of this condition, which is generally treated with antibiotics.
Historically, it was not considered a sexually transmitted disease.
However, a new study is pointing in a new direction that may make scientists rethink that position.
The study found that treatment for not just women affected by BV but also their male sexual partners could prevent further recurrence of this condition.
What causes bacterial vaginosis?
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Normally, the vagina contains a mix of bacteria; "good" bacteria are supposed to keep the "bad" bacteria in check. However, when this balance is lost, and harmful bacteria such as _Gardnerella vaginalis_ claim an upper hand, BV emerges.
Many people with BV may not experience complications. However, this condition has been linked to early pregnancy loss (miscarriage), premature labour and low infant birth weight.
It can also affect one's sexual and personal life and quality of life, as it may affect confidence.
New insights into bacterial vaginosis
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It is estimated that a third of women with an active sexual life are affected by BV. And, even if it is treated with antibiotics, it recurs in the case of over sixty per cent of women within a year. This results in many women being stuck in a repeated cycle of treatment regimens and an increased risk of antibiotic resistance.
The new study published in _The New England Journal of Medicine_, however, found male sexual partners may have a crucial role in reinfecting the woman. The study was based on a trial conducted at multiple sexual health and family planning centres in Australia, and it included 164 monogamous couples.
All women among these monogamous couples had BV. Eighty-three couples received the standard treatment of a seven-day antibiotic course for the female partner. Whereas, for 81 couples, the male partner also received a seven-day oral course of antibiotics and a topical antibiotic cream.
After 12 weeks, only 35 per cent of women in the second group, where men also received treatment, had recurring BV, compared to 63 per cent of women in the control group.
"The addition of combined oral and topical antimicrobial therapy for male partners to the treatment of women for bacterial vaginosis resulted in a lower rate of recurrence of bacterial vaginosis within 12 weeks than standard care," the study authors concluded.