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Published on: May 25, 2022
Factors associated with recurrent bacterial vaginosis.
Timothy E Klatt1, Devon C Cole, Daniel C Eastwood
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Division of Biostatistics, Medical College of Wisconsin, 9200 West Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA. tklatt@mcw.edu
The Journal of Reproductive Medicine
|March 27, 2010
Summary
Recurrent bacterial vaginosis (RBV) is strongly linked to African American ethnicity and having multiple male sex partners. Other factors like menstrual issues or contraceptive methods were not associated with RBV.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive Health
- Microbiology
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is a common vaginal condition.
- Recurrent BV (RBV) significantly impacts women's health and quality of life.
- Previous studies identified various potential risk factors for single BV episodes, but their association with RBV is less clear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between menstrual abnormalities, personal behaviors, contraceptive methods, and recurrent bacterial vaginosis (RBV).
- To identify specific risk factors contributing to the recurrence of bacterial vaginosis.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective, case-controlled study in an urban setting.
- Survey distributed to women with RBV (cases) and matched controls.
- Four-to-one matching of age groups (28 RBV cases and 112 controls).
Main Results:
- African American ethnicity was strongly associated with RBV (p < 0.001).
- Having more than one male sex partner in the previous two years was significantly associated with RBV (p = 0.007).
- Menstrual abnormalities, various personal behaviors (e.g., hygiene practices, intercourse types), and contraceptive methods were not associated with RBV.
Conclusions:
- Healthcare providers should counsel women with RBV to reduce their number of male sex partners.
- Limited evidence supports other behavioral modifications for preventing RBV recurrence.
- Further research may be needed to explore other potential RBV triggers.
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