Medication for Bacterial Vaginosis
Bacterial vaginosis is a condition in which there develops an imbalance of good and bad bacteria in the vagina. This can be treated with a course of antibiotics, but recurrence is possible.
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Types
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Two different medications are used in the treatment of bacterial vaginosis, both of them antibiotics. A physician may prescribe either metronidazole or clindamycin to treat bacterial vaginosis, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Features
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Male sex partners of women with bacterial vaginosis do not need to be treated. However, a female partner of a woman with bacterial vaginosis may need to be tested and treated.
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Considerations
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It is important to finish all of a medication prescribed for the treatment of bacterial vaginosis. This is because symptoms may improve before the cause of symptoms has been fully cleared up.
Complications
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Untreated bacterial vaginosis can lead to complications in pregnancies, pelvic inflammatory disease and increases a woman's chances of contracting and transmitting STDs.
Side Effects
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Both metronidazole and clindamycin carry the risk of a number of side effects; clindamycin in particular may lead to irritation of the vagina. A rare side effect of metronidazole is seizures. Women being treated for bacterial vaginosis should let their doctors know about severe side effects.
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