What is a bacterial vaginosis (BV) Test?
Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is a bacterial infection in the vagina. A healthy vagina contains a balance of both "good" (healthy) and "harmful" (unhealthy) bacteria. Normally, the good bacteria keep the harmful type under control.
A BV infection happens when the normal balance is upset and more harmful bacteria grow than good bacteria. A BV test checks a sample of vaginal discharge (fluid that comes out of the vagina) to look for harmful bacteria.
Any woman can get BV, even women who have never had sex. But it's most common in sexually active women. Sometimes a BV infection doesn't cause symptoms, and it can go away on its own. However serious health problems are linked to untreated BV. If you have symptoms, testing and treatment can help avoid the increased risk of these problems:
Getting a sexually transmitted disease (STD). BV makes your vagina more acidic than normal, which increases your chance of getting STDs, such as chlamydia, genital herpes, gonorrhoea, or HIV. And if you have HIV and BV, you're more likely to pass HIV to your sex partner.
Preterm birth. If you have a BV infection during pregnancy, it can increase the chance that your baby will be born too early (premature baby) or have a low birth weight (less than 5 and a half pounds). Low birth weight can cause serious health problems for your baby, including difficulty breathing, gaining weight, and fighting infections.
There are different ways to check a sample of vaginal discharge for signs of BV:
Using a microscope. This is called a "vaginal smear" or a "wet mount." The sample is prepared on a glass slide and checked under a microscope for bacteria, white blood cells, and other cells that are signs of infection.
Checking for odour. This is called a "whiff test." The sample is mixed with a chemical to see if it makes a strong, fishy odour, which is a sign of BV.
Testing vaginal pH. This test checks the acidity of the sample. High acidity is a sign of BV. But a pH test alone can't diagnose BV, so it's used with other tests.
PCR test. This test checks your sample for genetic material from harmful bacteria. It's not used as much as the other three tests, because it's more expensive.
What do the results mean?
Abnormal results from a vaginal smear or a whiff test mean that you have a bacterial infection.
The results of a vaginal pH test will be a number that shows how acidic your vagina is. A pH over 4.5 is high, which means you're more likely to have BV. But a pH test can't diagnose BV.
If your results show you have a BV infection, your provider will probably prescribe antibiotic pills and/or antibiotic creams or gels that you put in your vagina. Medicines that treat BV are safe to use during pregnancy.
Sometimes a BV infection will come back after successful treatment. If this happens, your provider may prescribe different medicine or a different dose of the medicine you took before.
There are no over-the-counter treatments for BV. Treatments for vaginal yeast infections will not help BV and could make your symptoms worse. So, don't try to treat an infection yourself.
If your results show you don't have BV, your provider may do more tests to find the cause of your symptoms.
If you have questions about your results, talk with your health care provider.
Learn more about laboratory tests, reference ranges, and understanding results.
Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is a bacterial infection in the vagina. A healthy vagina contains a balance of both "good" (healthy) and "harmful" (unhealthy) bacteria. Normally, the good bacteria keep the harmful type under control.
A BV infection happens when the normal balance is upset and more harmful bacteria grow than good bacteria. A BV test checks a sample of vaginal discharge (fluid that comes out of the vagina) to look for harmful bacteria.
Any woman can get BV, even women who have never had sex. But it's most common in sexually active women. Sometimes a BV infection doesn't cause symptoms, and it can go away on its own. However serious health problems are linked to untreated BV. If you have symptoms, testing and treatment can help avoid the increased risk of these problems:
Getting a sexually transmitted disease (STD). BV makes your vagina more acidic than normal, which increases your chance of getting STDs, such as chlamydia, genital herpes, gonorrhoea, or HIV. And if you have HIV and BV, you're more likely to pass HIV to your sex partner.
Preterm birth. If you have a BV infection during pregnancy, it can increase the chance that your baby will be born too early (premature baby) or have a low birth weight (less than 5 and a half pounds). Low birth weight can cause serious health problems for your baby, including difficulty breathing, gaining weight, and fighting infections.
There are different ways to check a sample of vaginal discharge for signs of BV:
Using a microscope. This is called a "vaginal smear" or a "wet mount." The sample is prepared on a glass slide and checked under a microscope for bacteria, white blood cells, and other cells that are signs of infection.
Checking for odour. This is called a "whiff test." The sample is mixed with a chemical to see if it makes a strong, fishy odour, which is a sign of BV.
Testing vaginal pH. This test checks the acidity of the sample. High acidity is a sign of BV. But a pH test alone can't diagnose BV, so it's used with other tests.
PCR test. This test checks your sample for genetic material from harmful bacteria. It's not used as much as the other three tests, because it's more expensive.
What do the results mean?
Abnormal results from a vaginal smear or a whiff test mean that you have a bacterial infection.
The results of a vaginal pH test will be a number that shows how acidic your vagina is. A pH over 4.5 is high, which means you're more likely to have BV. But a pH test can't diagnose BV.
If your results show you have a BV infection, your provider will probably prescribe antibiotic pills and/or antibiotic creams or gels that you put in your vagina. Medicines that treat BV are safe to use during pregnancy.
Sometimes a BV infection will come back after successful treatment. If this happens, your provider may prescribe different medicine or a different dose of the medicine you took before.
There are no over-the-counter treatments for BV. Treatments for vaginal yeast infections will not help BV and could make your symptoms worse. So, don't try to treat an infection yourself.
If your results show you don't have BV, your provider may do more tests to find the cause of your symptoms.
If you have questions about your results, talk with your health care provider.
Learn more about laboratory tests, reference ranges, and understanding results.
Inputs Courtesy: ENT Specialist Doctor with 41 years of experience. He can be reached only by WhatsApp messages at 9243301223.
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