Learning about bacterial vaginosis:
- What is bacterial vaginosis?
- What causes bacterial vaginosis?
- What are symptoms of bacterial vaginosis?
- What increases my risk of having bacterial vaginosis?
- Are there risks related to bacterial vaginosis?
- Who is affected by bacterial vaginosis?
- How is bacterial vaginosis diagnosed?
- How is bacterial vaginosis treated?
- What medications are used to treat bacterial vaginosis?
- What can I do at home to prevent bacterial vaginosis?
What causes bacterial vaginosis?
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Bacterial vaginosis is caused by an imbalance of the organisms (flora) that naturally exist in the vagina. Normally, about 95% of vaginal flora are lactobacillus bacteria. (These types are unique to humans, different from the lactobacillus in yogurt.) These lactobacilli help keep the vaginal pH level low and prevent overgrowth of other types of organisms. Women with bacterial vaginosis have fewer lactobacillus organisms than normal and more of other types of bacteria. Experts do not yet understand what causes this imbalance.1
Although the specific cause isn't known, a number of health and lifestyle factors have been linked to bacterial vaginosis. For more information, see the What Increases Your Risk section of this topic.