Women assume yeast infections are the most common vaginial infection. Yeast infection is also called thrush, candida, or monilial infection. It is the second most common type of vaginitis.
The most frequent type of vaginitis is called bacterial vaginosis. Bacteria cause almost 45% of all vaginal infections.
Now a woman's vagina normally contains bacteria. This bacteria protects the vagina from yeast and harmful bacteria. The helpful bacteria is lacotbacillus. Lactobacillus keeps the pH just right so the yeast is not allowed to overgrow.
But occasionally the lactobacillus gets overwhelmed and not so helpful bacteria start growing out of control. The exact cause of the overgrowth of the harmful bacteria is not known.
Like other vaginitis, bacterial vaginosis causes a vaginal discharge. The discharge may have a fishy smell especially after sex. The color of the discharge is variable. Some would be clear, grey or milky. The discharge can be either thick or thin.
A Reason To Care About Bacterial Vaginosis? When the bacterial travels from the vagina into the cervix and into the fallopian tubes. The bacteria can cause an infection leading to sterility and other problems.
The bacteria can travel up the vagina into the cervix and up to the fallopian tubes and start an infection elsewhere. These other infections can lead to sterility and other problems. The problems can be very serious if the woman is pregnant.
Babies whose birth weight is less than 5 pounds
Early delivery or miscarriage
Premature birth,
Medical studies have shown bacterial vaginosis in the first trimester can double the incidence of miscarriage in the second trimester
According to medical studies bacterial vaginosis in the first trimester of pregnancy can double the rate of miscarriages in the second trimester.
If you are using an IUD and suspect you have bacterial vaginosis call your health care provider as soon as possible. The bacteria can easily travel up the 'strings' of the IUD up to your uterus and fallopian tubes.
The healthcare provider will look at a slide of the discharge under the microscope. A drop of saline is placed on the slide. The discharge clumps up revealing clue cells. Clue cells get their name in providing a clue to the health care provider. This type of test is called a wet smear.
In the healthcare provider's office the discharge will be examined under a microscope. When a drop of saline water is placed on the slide with the discharge the bacteria clump up providing a clue to the healthcare provider. That's how the name of the clumping became clue cells. This is called a bacteria wet smear.
Bacterial vaginosis is usually treated with antibiotics. At this time none of the over the counter products can claim to treat an active bacterial vaginosis. So it is important to call your health care provider for treatment.
About the Author:
End the embarrassment of smelly vaginal discharge. Get your safe bacterial vaginosis preventive plan here.
0 comments:
Post a Comment