Prevention

To help prevent bacterial vaginosis:

• Limit the number of sex partners you have. Multiple sex partners increase your risk of getting bacterial vaginosis by changing the normal environment of the vagina.
• Avoid douching.

Bacterial vaginosis may be passed between women during sexual contact. If you have a female sexual partner, you may benefit from using condoms with or careful washing of shared sex items.⁸

Bacterial vaginosis is not passed between men and women and is not considered a sexually transmitted disease (STD). But if you are exposed to an STD while you have bacterial vaginosis, you are more likely to be infected by that disease.¹

It is always important to practice safe sex to prevent sexually transmitted diseases, whether or not you have bacterial vaginosis. Preventing an STD is easier than treating an infection after it occurs.