Bacterial Vaginosis and Pregnancy #NationalBVDay

Have you heard of Bacterial Vaginosis (BV)?  Would you recognise the symptoms?  Don’t worry, you’re not alone if you haven’t heard of BV.  

One in three women will suffer from BV, making it the UK’s most common vaginal condition and yet a surprising 61% of women have never heard of or are unsure of the symptoms of BV according to a recent online survey and 2 out of 3 women misdiagnose BV as Thrush.

If you’re trying for a baby, it is crucial to ensure your body is as healthy as possible and vaginal conditions are something which should be checked for during one of the most important times of your body’s life.  If you want a happy healthy baby, then brushing up on your vaginal knowledge is one step to helping create this.

Often confused with other vaginal conditions such as Thrush, BV often goes unnoticed or untreated.  If left untreated, BV can cause implications and increase the risk of complications, for example it can increase the risk of miscarriage and premature birth in pregnant women.

Simply raising awareness of this condition could help save babies lives and reduce the amount of premature births. 

So, what is BV?  BV is caused by a disruption in the pH of the vagina, when this happens the number of good lactic acid bacteria decreases and the bad bacteria multiply, resulting in a fishy odour (not found with Thrush), a thin grey discharge which may be excessive and lead to discomfort.  Put simply, BV is an imbalance in your pH levels and is easily treated. 

Contrary to popular belief, BV is not from poor hygiene, but can be caused by a number of everyday things like excessive washing, perfumed products, antibiotics, your period and even semen, which means experiencing regular reoccurrences of BV is very common.

63% of women feel angry BV is not widely known about and more information on intimate health conditions is not made available to them, research carried out to coincide with National BV Day (16th April) revealed.  Women should be aware of conditions such as BV, so they can ensure they are doing everything within their power to give birth to a healthy baby.

#NationalBVDay was set up by Balance Activ to encourage women to drop all taboos, talk openly about intimate health issues and to raise awareness of this little known condition.  Join us on Wednesday 16th April 2014 for National BV Day and help raise awareness of Bacterial Vaginosis – it could just save a baby’s life.