Researchers have found a potential breakthrough in preventing bacterial vaginosis, a condition affecting around one in three women at some point in their lives.
The infection – also known as BV – is caused by an imbalance in the bacteria that normally live in the vagina, often triggered by sex.
While it usually causes mild symptoms such as unusual discharge, BV can have serious consequences, including an increased risk of infertility, contracting sexually transmitted infections, premature birth and even newborn death.
It is routinely treated with antibiotics but can be notoriously difficult to eliminate. Around half of women see the condition return within a few months of treatment.
Now, a new clinical trial has shown that restoring protective 'good' bacteria in the vagina can significantly reduce the risk of the condition coming back.
The study was carried out by researchers from Mass General Brigham, the Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa and the Vaginal Microbiome Research Consortium.
Participants were recruited from the US and South Africa. All 90 women in the trial had BV and were first treated with standard antibiotics.
After completing antibiotics, participants were randomly assigned to take either a placebo or a once-daily oral probiotic tablet containing several strains of beneficial bacteria normally found in a healthy vagina.
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