Impact of (recurrent) bacterial vaginosis on quality of life and the need for accessible alternative treatments
Abstract Background Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is one of the most common vaginal dysbiosis in women aged 15–44 years old. Methods We administered a cross-sectional, single timepoint survey to women ages 18 years or older and who have had bacterial vaginosis (BV). Women completed an anonymous online su...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2023-03-01
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| Series: | BMC Women's Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-023-02236-z |
| _version_ | 1797863654577668096 |
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| author | Karen Chow Darcy Wooten Sindhuja Annepally Leah Burke Rina Edi Sheldon R. Morris |
| author_facet | Karen Chow Darcy Wooten Sindhuja Annepally Leah Burke Rina Edi Sheldon R. Morris |
| author_sort | Karen Chow |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is one of the most common vaginal dysbiosis in women aged 15–44 years old. Methods We administered a cross-sectional, single timepoint survey to women ages 18 years or older and who have had bacterial vaginosis (BV). Women completed an anonymous online survey evaluating the impact of BV on their quality of life, how effective different types of treatments were and the amount of self-diagnosed vs. provider diagnosed BV episodes they had. Results 62 participants completed the anonymous online survey. With a self-reported median number of BV episodes in the past year was 4 (IQR 1–7). Among these women 69.8% reported BV had a negative impact on their sexual health, 67.7% on their physical health, 74.6% on their mental health. More than half of the respondents had used probiotics with oral Lactobacillus sp. (53.2%), mainly by oral route, and over a third had used vaginal boric acid (37.1%). Most women were unaware of Lactobacillus crispatus. Lactobacillus probiotics were more likely to be tried by women who were negatively impacted by BV for overall quality of life (p = 0.033), sexual health (p = 0.002), and mental health (p = 0.006) while boric acid use was more likely to be used by women who were negatively impacted by BV for their sexual health (p = 0.008). Conclusions BV is associated with negative quality of life and the women most impacted are seeking alternative treatments such as probiotics (Lactobacillus) and boric acid. There needs to be improvements in BV treatment that include alternative therapy options that have demonstrated efficacy with standardized composition, formulation and dosage. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T22:38:59Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1a00286480c44b1bb4060b15d11aadc3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1472-6874 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T22:38:59Z |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Women's Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-1a00286480c44b1bb4060b15d11aadc32023-03-22T12:15:26ZengBMCBMC Women's Health1472-68742023-03-012311510.1186/s12905-023-02236-zImpact of (recurrent) bacterial vaginosis on quality of life and the need for accessible alternative treatmentsKaren Chow0Darcy Wooten1Sindhuja Annepally2Leah Burke3Rina Edi4Sheldon R. Morris5Department of Medicine, University of California San DiegoDepartment of Medicine, University of California San DiegoDepartment of Medicine, University of California San DiegoDepartment of Medicine, University of California San DiegoDepartment of Medicine, University of California San DiegoDepartment of Medicine, University of California San DiegoAbstract Background Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is one of the most common vaginal dysbiosis in women aged 15–44 years old. Methods We administered a cross-sectional, single timepoint survey to women ages 18 years or older and who have had bacterial vaginosis (BV). Women completed an anonymous online survey evaluating the impact of BV on their quality of life, how effective different types of treatments were and the amount of self-diagnosed vs. provider diagnosed BV episodes they had. Results 62 participants completed the anonymous online survey. With a self-reported median number of BV episodes in the past year was 4 (IQR 1–7). Among these women 69.8% reported BV had a negative impact on their sexual health, 67.7% on their physical health, 74.6% on their mental health. More than half of the respondents had used probiotics with oral Lactobacillus sp. (53.2%), mainly by oral route, and over a third had used vaginal boric acid (37.1%). Most women were unaware of Lactobacillus crispatus. Lactobacillus probiotics were more likely to be tried by women who were negatively impacted by BV for overall quality of life (p = 0.033), sexual health (p = 0.002), and mental health (p = 0.006) while boric acid use was more likely to be used by women who were negatively impacted by BV for their sexual health (p = 0.008). Conclusions BV is associated with negative quality of life and the women most impacted are seeking alternative treatments such as probiotics (Lactobacillus) and boric acid. There needs to be improvements in BV treatment that include alternative therapy options that have demonstrated efficacy with standardized composition, formulation and dosage.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-023-02236-zBacterial vaginosisRecurrent bacterial vaginosisBoric acidLactobacillusAlternative therapies |
| spellingShingle | Karen Chow Darcy Wooten Sindhuja Annepally Leah Burke Rina Edi Sheldon R. Morris Impact of (recurrent) bacterial vaginosis on quality of life and the need for accessible alternative treatments BMC Women's Health Bacterial vaginosis Recurrent bacterial vaginosis Boric acid Lactobacillus Alternative therapies |
| title | Impact of (recurrent) bacterial vaginosis on quality of life and the need for accessible alternative treatments |
| title_full | Impact of (recurrent) bacterial vaginosis on quality of life and the need for accessible alternative treatments |
| title_fullStr | Impact of (recurrent) bacterial vaginosis on quality of life and the need for accessible alternative treatments |
| title_full_unstemmed | Impact of (recurrent) bacterial vaginosis on quality of life and the need for accessible alternative treatments |
| title_short | Impact of (recurrent) bacterial vaginosis on quality of life and the need for accessible alternative treatments |
| title_sort | impact of recurrent bacterial vaginosis on quality of life and the need for accessible alternative treatments |
| topic | Bacterial vaginosis Recurrent bacterial vaginosis Boric acid Lactobacillus Alternative therapies |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-023-02236-z |
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