The short explanation
Bacterial vaginosis (BV) happens when the usual balance of bacteria in the vagina shifts. The protective bacteria become fewer and other bacteria that are normally present in small numbers grow more. This change produces the thin grey or white discharge and the fishy smell that many women notice. BV is not classed as a sexually transmitted infection, and you cannot catch it from toilets, bedding or swimming pools. However, it is more common in women who are sexually active, after a new partner, and with things that upset the vaginal balance such as douching, perfumed washes and smoking. Women who have never had sex can also get it.
What depends on your situation
The parts of this that change from woman to woman. Uncertainty is stated, not hidden.
- Male partners usually do not need treatment. Female partners sometimes do, so mention it if relevant.
- BV comes back in a fair number of women within months. This does not mean the treatment failed or that anyone did something wrong.
- In pregnancy, BV is worth treating because it has been linked with some pregnancy complications, so tell your doctor if you are or may be pregnant.
What this answer cannot determine
The boundary of online education. These need a clinician who can see you.
- This cannot tell you why BV happened in your case or whether it will return. Your doctor can discuss your own risk factors and what to do if it recurs.
Questions for your clinician
Take these with you. You can add any of them to an appointment card.
- Does my partner need any check or treatment?
- What should I do if the symptoms come back?
- Are there habits I can change to lower the chance of it returning?
- Should I be tested for any other infections?
When to seek help
Clinician-approved guidance for this topic. When in doubt, being seen is never the wrong choice.
Book an appointment soon
- See a clinician within a few days if symptoms have not settled after finishing treatment, or return soon after.
Raise it at a routine appointment
- Book a routine visit to discuss prevention if BV keeps recurring. You can ask for a woman doctor, and you can bring a friend or relative into the room with you if that helps.
Sources
The evidence this explanation is built on.
- Bacterial vaginosis NHS
- Vaginal diseases MedlinePlus (NIH)
- Vaginal discharge NHS
Who wrote and reviewed this
Every AskHer answer names its author. A clinically reviewed answer also names the clinician who signed it off — if no clinician is named below, it has not been clinically reviewed.
- Author
- AskHer Editorial (AI-assisted draft) AskHer's editorial team — not an individual clinician Works in English, தமிழ், हिन्दी
- Clinical reviewer
- Nobody yet No clinician has signed this answer off, and no person on the editorial team has read it yet. That is what the “Written with AI assistance” label means. It is queued for an editor to read, and then for a clinician who works in this area. The sources it was drafted against are listed above.
- Review status
- Written with AI assistance — not yet reviewed by a person
- Last reviewed
- Not yet reviewed by a person
- Version
- 1
Correction history
Substantive changes are listed, not quietly edited away.
No corrections have been made since this answer was first published.
Did this answer your question?
Whatever you choose is filed against this version of the answer, never against you, and it is never shown as a count.
“Explain more simply” asks you which part was hard to follow, so the author knows what to rewrite. “My question is different” opens a private follow-up with this answer attached.
Saving, following up and reporting are all private. Nothing you do on this page is visible to other readers or to the doctor who wrote it, unless you ask a question.