Yes, BV is usually curable with prescription antibiotics that can help readjust the balance of bacteria in the vagina. Although some over-the-counter vaginal medications are sold, these are not effective for curing BV. Currently, only prescribed antibiotics are effective.
With BV, there is a risk of relapsing if the entire course of antibiotics is not finished.1,2 Therefore, it is important to finish all of the pills in a BV prescription.
Although BV can be cured, it does carry certain risks. Women with BV are at a higher risk for:
- Delivering an infant preterm (before 37 weeks of pregnancy)
- Delivering an infant with a low birth weight (generally, 5.5 pounds or less)
- More easily contracting certain sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), including gonorrhea, herpes, and HIV/AIDS
- More easily infecting a partner with certain STDs, including HIV/AIDS
- Developing pelvic inflammatory disease
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