Bacterial Vaginosis (BV) is the most common cause of vaginal infections in women of reproductive age, with a prevalence of 29% in women ages 14- 49 in the United States (Center for Disease Control {CDC}, 2020). The exact pathogenesis of BV is unclear; however, several risk factors such as having unprotected sex, multiple new sexual partners, or frequent douching can lead to BV (Afolabi et al., 2016). Women diagnosed with BV have an increased risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections (STIs), such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), gonorrhea, and chlamydia. BV is associated with health concerns such as miscarriages, preterm births, and pelvic inflammatory disease (Jones, 2019). Women with BV in pregnancy have an increased risk of low birthweight babies, premature rupture of membranes, and postpartum vaginal infections (Pramoda, 2020). The current treatment options for BV are limited, and 60-80% of women who receive treatment experience a short-term cure, but recurrence rates are high (Bradshaw & Sobel, 2016). The project aims to research the causes, current treatments, complications of pregnancy with untreated BV, and explore alternative treatments to provide a long-term cure. I want to improve education on the prevalence of BV and preventive measures for all women who experience persistence BV.
Keywords: Bacterial Vaginosis, Recurrence, Probiotic treatment, Preterm Deliver
