Bacterial Vaginosis Library

Bacterial vaginosis, explained

Everything you need to understand BV — what it feels like, why the vaginal balance tips, how it's treated, and how to keep it from coming back. Written and reviewed by a licensed physician.

JV
John Venzor, DO · Board-certified Internal Medicine
Medically reviewed · Last updated Jun 2026
The basics

What you're actually dealing with

Bacterial vaginosis happens when the vagina's normal balance of bacteria shifts. The protective Lactobacillus that usually dominate decline, and other bacteria — chiefly Gardnerella and other anaerobes — overgrow in their place. As that balance tips, the vaginal environment becomes less acidic, and the result is the thin discharge and distinctive fishy odor that make BV recognizable.

It's the single most common cause of vaginal symptoms in women of reproductive age — more common than yeast infections — yet it's widely misunderstood. BV is not caused by poor hygiene, and it isn't classed as a sexually transmitted infection, though it's closely tied to changes in the vaginal ecosystem that sexual activity can set off. Many women have had it more than once.

The reassuring part: uncomplicated BV is straightforward to treat. A short course of antibiotics — taken by mouth or used vaginally — clears it for most people, and symptoms usually settle within a few days. This library walks you through the whole picture: what to look for, why the balance tips, how treatment works, how BV differs from the infections it's so often confused with, and what to do when it keeps returning.

The Bacterial Vaginosis Library

Eight reads. Start anywhere.

A complete walk-through of bacterial vaginosis, from the first change in discharge to keeping it from coming back. Each piece stands on its own — follow them in order, or jump straight to what you need right now.

01
Bacterial vaginosis symptoms
What BV actually looks and smells like.
02
What causes BV
The bacterial imbalance behind BV and its triggers.
03
Bacterial vaginosis treatment
How BV is cleared, and how fast.
04
Recurrent BV
Why it keeps coming back, and what helps.
05
Preventing BV
What actually lowers your odds (and what doesn't).
06
BV vs. yeast infection
How to tell two commonly-confused infections apart.
07
Is BV an STI?
Where BV sits between imbalance and infection.
08
BV in pregnancy
Why BV in pregnancy is handled differently.
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Common questions

Quick answers, before you dig in

The questions people ask most when BV first shows up.

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The most telling sign is a thin, grayish-white discharge with a distinct fishy odor — often stronger after sex. Unlike a yeast infection, BV usually causes little or no itching, and the smell, not the itch, is what stands out. If those line up, BV is the most likely explanation.
Our symptoms guide walks through every sign in detail.
Sometimes a mild case settles by itself, but many don't — and untreated BV can linger or come back, and is linked to other risks. Because the right antibiotic clears it reliably and quickly, most clinicians recommend treating symptomatic BV rather than waiting it out.
Usually the same day. You complete a short online visit, a licensed clinician reviews it, and if appropriate your treatment is sent to a pharmacy near you — often within a few hours.
No — BV is not classified as an STI. It's an imbalance of bacteria that already live in the vagina, not an infection passed from a partner in the usual sense. That said, sexual activity — especially a new or multiple partners — can disturb the vaginal balance and make BV more likely, so the two are linked even though BV isn't "caught."
It comes down to odor versus itch. BV brings a thin, grayish discharge with a fishy smell and little itching. A yeast infection brings intense itching with a thick, white, odorless discharge. They're treated with opposite drug classes — an antibiotic for BV, an antifungal for yeast — so telling them apart matters.

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