Bacterial vaginosis is a vaginal infection that can result in foul-smelling vaginal discharge. A certain quantity of vaginal discharge is normal. However, patients with bacterial vaginosis may have excessive vaginal discharge or discharge with an unpleasant odour.

In this condition, the bacteria in the vagina change from being dominated by Lactobacillus species to being populated by a greater variety of bacteria, including the anaerobes. The vagina's pH rises because of this microbiome shift, triggering a wide spectrum of symptoms from complete absence to severe distress. Most women experiencing symptoms will also have some vaginal discharge and/or odour, as described above, and accompanies the off-white, thin, and homogeneous discharge¹.

This condition is way more common than you think. A study shows that around forty to fifty per cent of women of childbearing age experience a vaginal discharge due to BV. The prevalence of BV in the United States was estimated to be 29% in the general population of women aged 14–49 years and an alarming 50% in African American women, based on data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), which included results from self-collected vaginal swabs from more than 3700 women². The prevalence of BV among women of reproductive age ranged from 23% to 29% in a global meta-analysis of studies from seven regions, with slight variations between populations³.

Because symptoms of Bacterial vaginosis overlap with those of other vaginal infections, a precise diagnosis is required to direct treatment properly. All patients undergo a physical examination; further diagnostic tests including Nugent's score interpretation are selected based on clinical suspicion and availability.