Bacterial vaginosis (BV) treatment - Online visit

BV and vaginal yeast infections are both types of vulvovaginitis, which is the general name for inflammation of the vagina or vulva. BV is the most common type of vaginitis, followed by vaginal yeast infections, then trichomoniasis (also known as trich).

BV and vaginal yeast infections may have some overlapping symptoms, like itchiness and discomfort. But BV is associated with a fishy odor, while yeast discharge is odorless. BV discharge also tends to be thin, grayish, or foamy, while yeast infection discharge tends to be thick, white, or like cottage cheese.

You're in the right place to get bacterial vaginosis treatment or treatment for a mixed infection of BV and yeast. If you think you have a vaginal yeast infection alone, you can start a visit from Amazon Clinic's Vaginal yeast infection treatment page. If you think you have trich, a sexually transmitted infection (STI), you'll need to see a trusted healthcare provider for lab testing.

BV goes away on its own in about 30% of cases, but oral or vaginal antibiotics can relieve BV symptoms within days as opposed to weeks or months.

Depending on the medication and the form, you'll need to use the prescription BV treatment for 2 to 7 days.

At this time, clinicians won't prescribe single-dose BV medication through Amazon Clinic. Research shows that these drugs are less effective than multiday BV treatments.

Bacterial vaginosis is caused by vaginal dysbiosis, which in this case means too much bacterial diversity in the vaginal microbiome.

A healthy vaginal environment contains mostly Lactobacillus bacteria—and sometimes just these bacteria. Lactobacilli produce enough lactic acid to keep vaginal pH levels to under 4.5. When more bacteria species colonize the vagina, lactic acid production goes down and pH levels go up. The vaginal microbiome also loses some of its antimicrobial, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory properties.

BV often spreads through sexual contact, though it's not generally defined as a sexually transmitted infection (STI). The pathogenic bacteria that characterize BV can be introduced through a variety of sexual activities, including sex without a condom or a recent change in sexual partners.

BV can spread through poor genital hygiene practices. To lower the risk of spreading bacteria, clinicians recommend the following BV prevention methods:

Finally, smoking cigarettes, being overweight or obese, and high-fat diets have also been associated with BV risk.

Vaginal bacterial infections often cause quality-of-life issues, but BV can also increase certain health risks. Less "good" bacteria in the vaginal microbiome can make a person more vulnerable to other infections of the genital tract. For example, someone with bacterial vaginosis is more likely to contract an STI like herpes, human papillomavirus (HPV), or HIV. They may also be more vulnerable to urinary tract infections (UTIs) and pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).

BV in pregnancy can increase the risk of preterm labor and other pregnancy complications. If you're pregnant and you're experiencing BV symptoms, you're eligible for treatment through Amazon Clinic.

If you're pregnant without symptoms of BV and want to lower your risk, you'll need to discuss your options with a trusted healthcare provider like an obstetrician-gynecologist (OB-GYN).

Video visits are available in all 50 states and D.C. Message-only visits are available in 34 states. To see your visit options, first choose your state.

Amazon Clinic doesn't accept health insurance for visits at this time. You can submit a claim to your insurance provider for reimbursement, but we can’t guarantee they’ll reimburse you.

If you normally use insurance to pay for your medications, you can do that with medications prescribed through Amazon Clinic. Amazon Pharmacy accepts most insurance plans. For other pharmacies, please talk with your pharmacy directly about insurance coverage. The cost of medication isn’t included in the cost of your visit.

Amazon Clinic protects your health information by strictly following the requirements of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). HIPAA governs what Amazon Clinic and your healthcare providers can do with your medical information, as well as your contact and payment information. Amazon Clinic doesn’t and will never sell your personal information. Learn more on our privacy page.