I have bacterial vaginosis; had no idea!!

[Allie84]

Hi girls,

I've read a few posts about people getting this so it crossed my mind even though I don't have the typical symptoms--smelly discharge, fishy smell, gray discharge, etc......

But I am a bit itchy now and then so I mentioned to my midwife at my appt today and she swabbed me. Just called me back and I have it! I have to start taking antibiotics.

The thing is, bv can be dangerous in pregnancy and I'm so scared!!

BV is apparently very common in pregnancy but any Google search of it shows that is increases your chances of preterm labor and miscarriage, especially when diagnosed in the first trimester or early 2nd trimester, which I am in. I just read a medical journal article and it's something like an 85% increased risk for preterm labor or pretmature rupture of membranes and then also a 2 to 5 fold increase in 'spontaneous abortion.' Who knows how long I've even had this since I don't really have any symptoms? I'm just going to assume it's only been a week or so. I'm so sad!

Has anyone else had this and are they as freaked out by it as me? Especially since I have no idea how long I've had it since I'm pretty much asymptomatic.

 

[Eternal]

awwww hun, dont google! easier said than done!

Its very common, and i am sure you will be fine, what did your MW say?

Hugs, i know how scary pregnancy is xxx

 

[xsadiex]

That's scary! How are you supposed to know if you have it if you have no symptoms!?

 

[Allie84]

Thank you! She just told me not to worry and that the antibiotics should clear it up, and was dismissive when I started quoting what I had read.

The thing that really scares me is some of the studies done show that even with treatment, it doens't reduce the risk of preterm labor or miscarriage that is caused by the bv.

I also feel dirty and it makes me feel kind of sad because (TMI) some of the articles say youre more likely to get it if you've been with multiple sexual partners and it's sometimes listed as an STD but I've only ever been with my husband....so I would have thought I'd be LESS likely to get it. It just sucks.

 

[Allie84]

That's scary! How are you supposed to know if you have it if you have no symptoms!?

That's what I mean...*nods* The ONLY symptom I have had is a very very slight amount of itching, waaay less than with a yeast infection, for example. I don't have any of the 'typical' symptoms, which is a smell down there and funny discharge. She just tested me to be safe but I really doubted it would be positive and it was.

So that's why I wonder how long I've had it, I could have had it for months....

One thing I read said 10-30% of pregnant women have it.

 

[seoj]

I'm so sorry hun... nothing worse than reading scary information while prego. I would for sure ask your doc what the risks are though- as the internet can have a lot of "inaccurate" information posted.

I also had BV several years back and had NO clue (no symptoms I could have spotted). I'm prone to UTI's anyway- but I kept getting them over and over for months... finally at an OB appt my doctor decided to have me checked, and yup, that was it... and a couple horse pills later I was all better. I've only had a couple UTI's since... thankfully. But it's NO fun.

I'm guessing all will be just fine though hun... but it can't hurt to ask your MW for ease of mind. Even if there is a small risk, that doesn't mean anything will go wrong. Sounds like you caught it early and the antibiotics should take care of it.

Best of luck hun

 

[Mrs. AJ]

I am sure that is worrying, but really like you've said it is quite common and you are taking care of it.

Did you have a pap when you went to your first appt.? If so they would have been able to pick it up on a pap if you'd had it then. So if you didn't have it then, then it's likely it's fairly recent.

I was also diagnosed with this a few years ago. I had absolutely zero symptoms, and they just found it on my annual pap exam, so I don't know how long I had it. But it cleared up quickly and has had no lasting effects whatsoever.

I know it is hard, but try not to worry...more than likely everything is just fine!

 

[Allie84]

Thanks again.

I just researched the antibiotic (Flagyl) and apparently that's bad in pregnancy as well. Urgh.

I did not have a pap this pregnancy because I just had one the month before my BFP.

Oh well, I guess there's nothing I can do now except take the antibiotics and hope for the best. The thing on that's making me feel better is the midwife didn't seem concerned at all.

 

[AshleyNichole]

hun....i found this for you , it's a catergory B antibiotic.

https://antibiotics.emedtv.com/flagyl/flagyl-and-pregnancy.html

i think your OK

 

[pcake]

Hey
I think iv got this at the mo-going to doc tom. Im v itchy, greyish cm,but no smell or anything. Iv seen lots of ladies have it on here and things were fine- pls try not to worry. Its very common in pregnancy. Also,im sure doctor wouldnt give u antibiotics unless they were safe. Iv had to have 2 sets of anti-biotics since i got pregnant. I googled the first lot, and it seemed to say they werent safe and i got so worked up and worried about what i should do. So i asked on here,and so many ladies had been on them with previous pregnancies with no problems, that i decided to take them. With the second lot i had to have i didnt even google them-i realised ul always find something bad,so i think uv just got to try and trust ur Dr.

Just take the anti-biotics, drink lots of water and just try and relax. Il be doing the same!! xx

 

[Rude_Reds]

I also feel dirty and it makes me feel kind of sad because (TMI) some of the articles say youre more likely to get it if you've been with multiple sexual partners and it's sometimes listed as an STD but I've only ever been with my husband....so I would have thought I'd be LESS likely to get it. It just sucks.

I actually got this last yr. I was really shocked cuz I thought the same thing as u. If u're sleeping with one person alone u won't get it. But my doc said it happens very frequently in pregnancy and sometimes if ur immune system is compromised. In my case it happened cuz I was working a lot of 16hr shifts without resting in between plus using scented tampons So don't worry hun. Don't feel dirty. U know u only sleep with ur husband so u have absolutely nothing 2 worry about

 

[MonstHer]

Dude, stop reading google stuff. It makes people worrisome when it doesn't have to be that way.
a LOT of women, (including myself) have had this during pregnancy. It really isn't that big a deal.
I've only had 2 sex partners my entire life (the same one for the last 2 years), so I don't see how the multiples partner thing even relates.
Your vagina already has lots of kinds of bacteria in it.
During pregnancy, one or more can over power others, so you are more susceptible to yeast infections, vaginosis, and various other issues.
and Flagyl is safe to take during pregnancy. It's safer than even caffeine.

 

[Mama627]

Hey, I was diagnosed with BV in the first trimester. I had no symptoms either, besides just feeling a bit "off" down there. My pee was also cloudy. They gave me some antibiotics and never tested me again, so I assume all is well. It's not something they routinely test for during a pap -- they tested me to figure out why my pee was cloudy and because I insisted something was wrong, even though I couldn't put my finger on it.

My OB explained that your PH can change suddenly when you're pregnant and that allows bacteria that is normally present on your body to grow out of control into BV. She stressed that it's not an STD. I was wearing panties that weren't 100% cotton and apparently that's a super bad plan while preggo because they don't breathe.

The antibiotics they gave you should be group B. That doesn't mean that they aren't safe, it just means there's been less research done on them than group A drugs. The BV is a bigger risk to your baby than the antibiotics.

If it makes you feel any better, I'm less than a week away from the third trimester and so far the BV and antibiotics haven't caused any problems. I don't know if it'll make a difference in how far along I get before I deliver -- the last time I was pregnant I started laboring at 35 weeks until I was induced to speed things along at 37 weeks.

 

[Mommy's Angel]

I seem to be prone to over production of bacteria. I had it in the beginning, took another form of antibiotic to get rid of it. a month or two later I ended up with C-diff. You don't want to know what that is nor do you want to know what happens. I landed in the hospital for that one. last week I was diagnosed with BV again and they just called to tell me there was some kind of odd bacteria in my urine specimen so not only am I taking flagyl but another antibiotic for that one.

I have experience with this issue as I lost my son partially to BV. Let me just say that everyone has BV which is what the Dr. told me. During pregnancy there can be an imbalance with your PH which can cause you to have less good bacteria in your body and an overgrowth of bacteria starts.

Second, while BV "can" cause preterm labor as it did with me, there has to be a reason for it. 1.) it wasn't caught and you didn't get treated for it in time and 2.) you lose your mucus plug and give the bacteria room to grow up there where it causes inflammation leading to your amniotic sac to bulge causing Preterm Labor. THAT'S what happened to me last time.

The second is rare and so is PTL with just BV as a factor. You honestly have to have it paired with another cause which I did. My cervix changed causing incompetent cervix, which led to my mucus plug shedding, and I had SEVERE case of BV which for WEEKS was ignored by the nurse who kept telling me I was okay. Once that happened it gave room for BV to wreak havoc because I had no mucus plug to protect the baby from getting bacteria. Then I ended up dilated because of the issue, my son was WAY too early and NICU doesn't step in until viability.

NOW let me just say, had I been listened to when I kept saying I was itchy and gotten the proper meds for BV, things could have been different. I would have had the flagyl which would have cleared the mess up. THEN because of the loss of mucus plug I could have had an antibiotic suppository to keep things protected and then a cerclage.

So in the end, while BV "can" cause PTL, in all honesty in order to do so, it has to go untreated for a long period of time and usually there are other things that cause the PTL as my experience.

You should be a-okay!

I have had bacterial infections alot this pregnancy and I can honestly say we're doing fine. Granted I have Incompetent cervix again, but I had a stitch placed and that issue is fine. Neither have I lost my mucus plug this time around. I can also say I passed the 22wks when I lost my son and am finishing off Viability week and heading into wk 25 on Sunday.

So If this will put your mind at ease, your being treated...your mucus plug is in tact, your taking care of yourself and your doing fine!

I also want to say I have never heard of BV being like an STD because of multiple partners. I think that's crazy as my Dr. said our bodies carry BV, it's just in pregnancy our hormonal changes can sometimes cause bacteria overgrowth as well as yeast overgrowth.

Taken care of, all is well! Ignored and it "can" bring some danger.

Don't feel dirty. It's the body's normal response to all the imbalances and hormones your going through!

 

[prdlyexpectng]

stop reading google... i have had BV twice so far, first trimester and 15 weeks and im fine

 

[Allie84]

Thank you so much everyone.

Mommy's Angel, I'm sorry for your loss and thank you for sharing your story. It definitely helps to hear the specifics of how it can happen.

The sexual partner thing I thought was weird as well, but it's out there online...but as has been said, pregnancy brings it's own reasons for BV so yeah, I don't that's relevant for us.

I will take everyone's advice and stop Googling. I took my first dose of Flagyl and hopefully I haven't had the BV for that long and this just clears it up. FX.

 

[Mommy's Angel]

Thank you so much everyone.

Mommy's Angel, I'm sorry for your loss and thank you for sharing your story. It definitely helps to hear the specifics of how it can happen.

The sexual partner thing I thought was weird as well, but it's out there online...but as has been said, pregnancy brings it's own reasons for BV so yeah, I don't that's relevant for us.

I will take everyone's advice and stop Googling. I took my first dose of Flagyl and hopefully I haven't had the BV for that long and this just clears it up. FX.

It'll take about a week but you'll be fine! Try and get some probiotics in you as well. Yogurt with acidofolus because many people get Yeast infections because of the Flagyl treatment. So just be aware if you smell, feel itchy or have cottage cheese. yeast usually is harmless concerning PTL but it's still uncomfortable!

 

[MonstHer]

I know this is totally going to sound gross,

but it is said that a clove of garlic (with cuts in it) and string tied onto it (like a tampon but not as deep) will clear up any sort of vaginal infection you have after a few days, especially yeast infections.
I tried it and it worked overnight. SHHHH I know weird right? but it totally worked!

 

[Allie84]

Thanks for the tips.

For those that have had it, did you get side effects from the antibiotics? I'm having a bit of tummy pain today, can't tell if it's uterus or stomach.

 

[Tink1o5]

Thats it Allie Im taking your keyboard away so you cant google anything anymore!

Hun you will be fine, I promise you that. I had BV with my Sons pregnancy, i took the antibiotics and it cleared right up and everything was fine. No preterm labor or mc. Everyone healthy. =) I had not side effects to the antibiotic.

So stop googling before i have to do more than just take away your keyboard.