How to prevent
Bacterial Vaginosis
It is common for bacterial vaginosis (BV) to come back, even after effective treatment has resolved your symptoms.
Almost 50-60% of women may experience recurrent bacterial vaginosis within 6-12 months of treatment, so it’s important to do everything you can to minimize the chances of this happening to you.
It may be tempting to try and be ‘over clean’ to avoid getting BV again, but this may have the opposite effect. It’s important to remember that BV occurs when your natural ‘good’ bacteria are killed off, which allows ‘bad’ bacteria to move in and cause BV.
Using harsh antibacterial soaps or douching (spraying water into the vagina) can actually increase the chances of getting BV by disrupting your normal, healthy bacteria.
Reduce the risk of recurrence by
following these steps
- Clean yourself with mild soap and water (on the outside only – the vagina is self-cleaning).
- Avoid fragranced products or bubble baths.
- Use unscented sanitary pads or tampons.
- Using hormonal contraception may also lower the risk of BV.
How does VivaGel BV prevent BV recurrence?
VivaGel BV prevents recurrent BV by forming a physical barrier that blocks the attachment of BV-causing bacteria to the vaginal lining.
If you experience recurrent BV (typically 3 or more episodes in a 12-month period), you can use VivaGel BV when you don’t have symptoms to help prevent recurrent BV and its symptoms.
