Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsBV and MenopauseCausesPreventionSymptomsDiagnosisTreatmentFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
BV and Menopause
Causes
Prevention
Symptoms
Diagnosis
Treatment
Frequently Asked Questions
Bacterial vaginosis(BV) is an infection from an overgrowth of vaginalbacteria.Your vagina always has a basic amount of bacteria (calledflora) that is healthy and natural. The increase of less common bacteria upsets the natural balance of the vagina and can cause uncomfortable symptoms.
BV is prevalent among women and has been identified as the most common cause of abnormalvaginal discharge.A study found that 23%–29% of women experience BV.
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Risk factors for BVinclude having multiple sex partners, douching, pregnancy, and smoking.BV risk can increase around menopause for women due to hormonal changes.
This article discusses bacterial vaginosis in menopause and its causes and risk factors.
Bacterial Vaginosis and Menopause
Bacterial vaginosis is very common among women frompubertytomenopause.During menopause, women undergo changes in their hormone levels. BV can appear for the first time or return as your childbearing years end.
About 1 in 4 women in the United States will experience BV, which is much more common in Black and Hispanic women than in White and Asian women.The risk of BV increases with age and with previous BV diagnoses.
Beneficial vaginal bacteria thrive in environments with estrogen.As estrogen levels drop in menopause, good bacteria levels can also decrease, which increases the risk of developing BV. Overall, your risk for BV appears to increase as you age.
Bacterial Vaginosis Causes
Many attempts have been made to understand what causesharmful bacteriato overtake the normal flora. Thecause of BVremains unknown.
The bacteria that cause BV can vary widely. One theory is that the environment of the vagina changes to allow the overgrowth that causes BV. Individual immune systems factor into it too.
Some risk factors for BV include:
Douche Rinses in Vagina: What to Know
Along with menopause, bothintrauterine device(IUD) use and pregnancy can also increase your chances of developing BV.As well, female sexual partners sometimes share BV back and forth.
How to Prevent BV
There are no proven methods toprevent BV. However, some of the factors that increase your chance of getting BV are ones in your control. Some things that may help lower your risk for BV include:
For women who are entering perimenopause, research suggests that there may be some additional ways you can prevent BV.Probioticsmay be helpful in some cases.However, these are not right for every person, so check with your healthcare provider before starting any medications or supplements.
If you develop BV, be sure to see your healthcare provider. Untreated,BV can cause severe complications, such as increasing your risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) or problems with your pregnancy.
Recognizing the Symptoms
Many women with BV have no symptoms at all, but you can have one or many symptoms. Common symptoms include:
Sometimes, the lab willculturethe vaginal fluid to see what bacteria are growing there.
Getting Treatment
BV is highly treatable. Approximately 80%–90% of BV cases are cured within one month. However, more than half of those may return within the first year.Treatment for male sex partners of women with BV is not recommended.
In the United States, treatment is recommended only for people with symptoms of BV.Antibiotics are a common BV treatment. These medications kill off the harmful bacteria and help to restore the balance of bacteria in the vagina. Flagyl (metronidazole) or Cleocin (clindamycin) are often used.
Summary
Bacterial vaginosis is a common health condition that can happen to women at any age. Sometimes, BV can start or worsen during the hormonal changes leading to menopause. You can adjust a few risk factors to reduce your risk of developing BV. In many cases, BV is highly treatable with medications. See your healthcare provider for a diagnosis if you notice any unusual vaginal discharge or other symptoms.
A Word From Verywell
Vaginal discharge and odor can be sensitive and concerning issues. Medical professionals are trained to listen to and address your concerns with compassion and privacy. Do not hesitate to let your provider know if you have symptoms of BV or similar health issues. Treatment is effective and important in maintaining your overall health.
Frequently Asked QuestionsEstrogen helps keep the environment optimized for good vaginal bacteria.Low estrogen can increase the risk of developing BV.Some healthcare providers recommend probiotics to help reduce the risk of BV after menopause.Check with your healthcare team about your specific health situation.The exact cause of BV is unknown. However, there are several factors that can increase your chances of developing BV.Learn MoreCauses and Risk Factors of Bacterial Vaginosis
Estrogen helps keep the environment optimized for good vaginal bacteria.Low estrogen can increase the risk of developing BV.
Some healthcare providers recommend probiotics to help reduce the risk of BV after menopause.Check with your healthcare team about your specific health situation.
The exact cause of BV is unknown. However, there are several factors that can increase your chances of developing BV.Learn MoreCauses and Risk Factors of Bacterial Vaginosis
The exact cause of BV is unknown. However, there are several factors that can increase your chances of developing BV.
Learn MoreCauses and Risk Factors of Bacterial Vaginosis
11 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).Bacterial vaginosis - CDC fact sheet.Coudray MS, Madhivanan P.Bacterial vaginosis—A brief synopsis of the literature.European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology. 2020;245:143-148. doi:10.1016/j.ejogrb.2019.12.035Peebles K, Velloza J, Balkus JE, McClelland RS, Barnabas RV.High global burden and costs of bacterial vaginosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Sexual Trans Dis. 2019;46(5):304-311. doi:10.1097/OLQ.0000000000000972Bautista CT, Wurapa E, Sateren WB, Morris S, Hollingsworth B, Sanchez JL.Bacterial vaginosis: a synthesis of the literature on etiology, prevalence, risk factors, and relationship with chlamydia and gonorrhea infections.Military Med Res. 2016;3(1):4. doi:10.1186/s40779-016-0074-5Onderdonk AB, Delaney ML, Fichorova RN.The human microbiome during bacterial vaginosis.Clin Microbiol Rev. 2016;29(2):223-238. doi:10.1128/CMR.00075-15Hoffmann JN, You HM, Hedberg EC, Jordan JA, McClintock MK.Prevalence of bacterial vaginosis and candida among postmenopausal women in the United States.The Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences. 2014;69(Suppl 2):S205-S214. doi:10.1093/geronb/gbu105Amabebe E, Anumba DOC.The vaginal microenvironment: The physiologic role of lactobacilli.Front Med. 2018;5:181. doi:10.3389/fmed.2018.00181Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).Bacterial vaginosis treatment and care.Muhleisen AL, Herbst-Kralovetz MM.Menopause and the vaginal microbiome.Maturitas. 2016;91:42-50. doi:10.1016/j.maturitas.2016.05.015Office on Women’s Health.Bacterial vaginosis.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).Sexually transmitted infections treatment guidelines, 2021: Bacterial vaginosis.
11 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).Bacterial vaginosis - CDC fact sheet.Coudray MS, Madhivanan P.Bacterial vaginosis—A brief synopsis of the literature.European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology. 2020;245:143-148. doi:10.1016/j.ejogrb.2019.12.035Peebles K, Velloza J, Balkus JE, McClelland RS, Barnabas RV.High global burden and costs of bacterial vaginosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Sexual Trans Dis. 2019;46(5):304-311. doi:10.1097/OLQ.0000000000000972Bautista CT, Wurapa E, Sateren WB, Morris S, Hollingsworth B, Sanchez JL.Bacterial vaginosis: a synthesis of the literature on etiology, prevalence, risk factors, and relationship with chlamydia and gonorrhea infections.Military Med Res. 2016;3(1):4. doi:10.1186/s40779-016-0074-5Onderdonk AB, Delaney ML, Fichorova RN.The human microbiome during bacterial vaginosis.Clin Microbiol Rev. 2016;29(2):223-238. doi:10.1128/CMR.00075-15Hoffmann JN, You HM, Hedberg EC, Jordan JA, McClintock MK.Prevalence of bacterial vaginosis and candida among postmenopausal women in the United States.The Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences. 2014;69(Suppl 2):S205-S214. doi:10.1093/geronb/gbu105Amabebe E, Anumba DOC.The vaginal microenvironment: The physiologic role of lactobacilli.Front Med. 2018;5:181. doi:10.3389/fmed.2018.00181Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).Bacterial vaginosis treatment and care.Muhleisen AL, Herbst-Kralovetz MM.Menopause and the vaginal microbiome.Maturitas. 2016;91:42-50. doi:10.1016/j.maturitas.2016.05.015Office on Women’s Health.Bacterial vaginosis.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).Sexually transmitted infections treatment guidelines, 2021: Bacterial vaginosis.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).Bacterial vaginosis - CDC fact sheet.Coudray MS, Madhivanan P.Bacterial vaginosis—A brief synopsis of the literature.European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology. 2020;245:143-148. doi:10.1016/j.ejogrb.2019.12.035Peebles K, Velloza J, Balkus JE, McClelland RS, Barnabas RV.High global burden and costs of bacterial vaginosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Sexual Trans Dis. 2019;46(5):304-311. doi:10.1097/OLQ.0000000000000972Bautista CT, Wurapa E, Sateren WB, Morris S, Hollingsworth B, Sanchez JL.Bacterial vaginosis: a synthesis of the literature on etiology, prevalence, risk factors, and relationship with chlamydia and gonorrhea infections.Military Med Res. 2016;3(1):4. doi:10.1186/s40779-016-0074-5Onderdonk AB, Delaney ML, Fichorova RN.The human microbiome during bacterial vaginosis.Clin Microbiol Rev. 2016;29(2):223-238. doi:10.1128/CMR.00075-15Hoffmann JN, You HM, Hedberg EC, Jordan JA, McClintock MK.Prevalence of bacterial vaginosis and candida among postmenopausal women in the United States.The Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences. 2014;69(Suppl 2):S205-S214. doi:10.1093/geronb/gbu105Amabebe E, Anumba DOC.The vaginal microenvironment: The physiologic role of lactobacilli.Front Med. 2018;5:181. doi:10.3389/fmed.2018.00181Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).Bacterial vaginosis treatment and care.Muhleisen AL, Herbst-Kralovetz MM.Menopause and the vaginal microbiome.Maturitas. 2016;91:42-50. doi:10.1016/j.maturitas.2016.05.015Office on Women’s Health.Bacterial vaginosis.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).Sexually transmitted infections treatment guidelines, 2021: Bacterial vaginosis.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).Bacterial vaginosis - CDC fact sheet.
Coudray MS, Madhivanan P.Bacterial vaginosis—A brief synopsis of the literature.European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology. 2020;245:143-148. doi:10.1016/j.ejogrb.2019.12.035
Peebles K, Velloza J, Balkus JE, McClelland RS, Barnabas RV.High global burden and costs of bacterial vaginosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Sexual Trans Dis. 2019;46(5):304-311. doi:10.1097/OLQ.0000000000000972
Bautista CT, Wurapa E, Sateren WB, Morris S, Hollingsworth B, Sanchez JL.Bacterial vaginosis: a synthesis of the literature on etiology, prevalence, risk factors, and relationship with chlamydia and gonorrhea infections.Military Med Res. 2016;3(1):4. doi:10.1186/s40779-016-0074-5
Onderdonk AB, Delaney ML, Fichorova RN.The human microbiome during bacterial vaginosis.Clin Microbiol Rev. 2016;29(2):223-238. doi:10.1128/CMR.00075-15
Hoffmann JN, You HM, Hedberg EC, Jordan JA, McClintock MK.Prevalence of bacterial vaginosis and candida among postmenopausal women in the United States.The Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences. 2014;69(Suppl 2):S205-S214. doi:10.1093/geronb/gbu105
Amabebe E, Anumba DOC.The vaginal microenvironment: The physiologic role of lactobacilli.Front Med. 2018;5:181. doi:10.3389/fmed.2018.00181
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).Bacterial vaginosis treatment and care.
Muhleisen AL, Herbst-Kralovetz MM.Menopause and the vaginal microbiome.Maturitas. 2016;91:42-50. doi:10.1016/j.maturitas.2016.05.015
Office on Women’s Health.Bacterial vaginosis.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).Sexually transmitted infections treatment guidelines, 2021: Bacterial vaginosis.
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