This Vaginal Infection That Can Have Serious Health Risks If Left Untreated.

Over the course of their lives, many women experience symptoms of a vaginal infection, which can often be uncomfortable and confusing. What they may not know is that what they’re experiencing could be symptoms of bacterial vaginosis (BV) – one of the most prevalent gynecologic infections in the U.S., affecting many women from the ages 14 to 49 annually.

It’s important for women to educate themselves about BV so they can best protect themselves from the associated health risks. Caused by changes in the number of certain types of bacteria in your vagina, BV can develop when your vagina has more harmful bacteria than good bacteria.

Common signs and symptoms associated with BV include unusual vaginal discharge that can be white or gray; watery; or have a strong fish-like odor. These symptoms can easily be confused with those of a yeast infection. While discharge from a yeast infection may also be white or gray, it can look like cottage cheese, which is a key differentiator.

“About thirty percent of reproductive age women have or have had BV. Left untreated, BV can have an impact on quality of life and increases the potential for other more serious health problems,”.

Who Does BV Affect?

One in three women have been affected by BV, impacting more than 21 million in the U.S. each year, but only four million are treated annually. BV is most common among women ages 14 to 49; however, women of any age can get BV, even if they have never had sex. That said, having a new sex partner or multiple sex partners can upset the balance of bacteria in the vagina and this places a woman at an increased risk. Pregnant women are also susceptible to BV and it’s especially important that they receive treatment for the safety of their unborn baby.

What Are the Risks?

According to the Centers for Disease and Control (CDC), if BV is left untreated, women are at risk for serious health concerns, including an increased risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases, including chlamydia, gonorrhea, herpes, trichomoniasis and HIV; an increased risk of pre-term birth or low birth weight for pregnant women; and pelvic inflammatory disease. If you think you have BV, be sure to visit your healthcare provider to get tested and treated, as BV can only be treated with a prescription antibiotic. It’s important to take all the medicine prescribed to you, even if your symptoms go away.

A New Treatment Option

Currently, the most commonly prescribed oral BV treatment regimen requires twice-a-day dosing for seven days and adherence with the leading therapies has been shown to be only approximately 50 percent. Additionally, 60 percent of women treated for BV will likely have a recurrence within 12 months. It offers women a one-time treatment option that can be taken any time of the day, with or without a meal. Solosec™ is clinically proven to normalize BV symptoms, odor and discharge, without the use of creams or week-long oral regimens. In clinical studies, the most common adverse events were (incidence ≥ 2%) yeast infection, headache, nausea, altered taste, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and vaginal itching.

To learn more about this new treatment option, visit www.solosec.com.