Treatment of Bacterial Vaginosis

Bacterial vaginosis is treated with antimicrobial medicines you get from your doctor, such as metronidazole or clindamycin. Both of these drugs can be used when you are pregnant. The dosage (or amount of the drug) will differ when you are pregnant. Women who are HIV positive and have bacterial vaginosis get the same treatment as women who are HIV negative.

Most of the time, male sex partners of women with bacterial vaginosis are not treated. But, your doctor might want to treat the man if the woman's infection is not cleared up with drugs. Many women don't get treated for bacterial vaginosis. But, bacterial vaginosis will not go away on its own and must be treated to relieve symptoms and prevent problems such as PID. It is important to know that you can get bacterial vaginosis again.

If you have bacterial vaginosis:

• Get it treated right away. Having bacterial vaginosis increases your risk for getting PID or for getting infected with an STD.

• Follow your health care provider's orders and finish all the medicine that you are given. Even if the symptoms go away, you still need to finish all of the medicine.

• Avoid having any sexual activity while you are being treated for bacterial vaginosis.

• Be sure to get a follow-up test to make sure that the infection has been cured.

• If the infection comes back, talk with your health care provider about having your sexual partners treated. Keep in mind, though, that there has been no evidence to date that sexual partners benefit from treatment.