If you’ve ever had bacterial vaginosis (BV), you know how irritating and uncomfortable it can be – burning, unusual discharges, fishy odors, and pelvic pain are just some of the symptoms you may have experienced. And the worst part?
It can come back.
You’re not alone—one in three women will experience BV in their lifetimes, and even after treatment, more than half will get it again within three months.
Published in the highly regarded New England Journal of Medicine, new research has found that BV may be spread or retransmitted back to women by their partner, similar to many STIs. Treating male partners could be the ticket to significantly reducing how often BV recurs.
What the Study Found
The clinical trial tested whether treating both women and their male partners (instead of just women) could prevent BV from coming back. 164 monogamous couples were randomly assigned to either a control group or experimental treatment group.
In both the control and experimental groups, women received standard BV treatment (a common antibiotic) for 7 days.
In the experimental treatment group, the male partners also received treatment: an oral antibiotic, plus a topical antimicrobial cream.
The male partners in the control group did not receive treatment.
The difference was remarkable:
Within a 3-month period, BV recurrence dropped from 63% (in the control group) to just 35% when male partners were also treated.
Women whose partners received treatment were BV-free for an average of 20 more days than those whose partners didn’t.
Researchers actually ended the trial early because the results were resoundingly clear–treating male partners worked. With such a large drop in BV recurrence, researchers decided that continuing the study without offering the treatment to all male partners was unethical.
Why Does This Matter?
BV is usually treated as a women’s health issue, which it is. However, research suggests it behaves more like an STI, as the responsible bacteria can be shared between partners.
If only the woman is treated, bacteria can remain in her partner’s system, causing reinfection.
This study indicates that treating both partners could be a significant change in both treatment protocols and in patient care outcomes for women dealing with recurrent BV.
What Can You Do?
If BV keeps coming back, talk to your doctor about whether treating your partner could help.
If your doctor has trouble finding the organisms causing your BV you should get testing using MicroGenDX’s VaginalKEY.
For extending this quality of care to your partner, consider testing your partner with our ProstateKEY test to evaluate their reproductive microbiome.
Print and share the New England Journal of Medicine article with your healthcare provider.
The Bottom Line
If your BV keeps returning, it could mean that standard treatment isn’t addressing the full picture. Pursuing treatment with your partner might be the missing piece. Speak to your doctor and explore the latest research-backed solutions with MicroGenDX to get lasting relief.
