ACOG Practice Bulletin. Clinical management guidelines for obstetrician-gynecologists, Number 72, May 2006: Vaginitis

Vaginal symptoms are common in the general population and are one of the most frequent reasons for patient visits to obstetrician-gynecologists. Vaginitis may have important consequences in terms of discomfort and pain, days lost from school or work, and sexual functioning and self image. Vaginitis is associated with sexually transmitted diseases and other infections of the female genital tract, including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), as well as adverse reproductive outcomes in pregnant and nonpregnant women. Treatment usually is directed to the specific cause of vaginal symptoms, which most commonly include bacterial vaginosis, vulvovaginal candidiasis, and trichomoniasis. The purpose of this document is to provide information about the diagnosis and treatment of vaginitis.