Bacterial vaginosis (BV)

Amazon One Medical offers multiple ways to get care from the comfort of your own home.

If you're a One Medical member and you live in a state where One Medical has offices, you can schedule Remote Visits with One Medical providers, which are billable to you or your health insurance. As a member, you can also get 24/7 on-demand virtual care with Treat Me Now or Urgent Video Chat via the One Medical app at no extra cost, no matter where you live in the United States.

If you're not a One Medical member, you can start a one-time virtual visit with Pay-per-visit. Pay-per-visit offers two types of telehealth for Amazon customers: video visits and message-only visits. Video visits are available for $49 in all 50 states and D.C. Message-only visits are currently available for $29 in 34 states.

To see your Pay-per-visit options, first choose your state.

Amazon One Medical doesn't accept health insurance for Pay-per-visit care. You can submit a claim to your insurance provider for reimbursement, but we can’t guarantee they’ll reimburse you for your one-time virtual visit.

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If your provider can’t diagnose or treat your health issue through Pay-per-visit, they may recommend that you see a primary care provider or a specialist for in-person care. If that happens, you won't be charged.

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BV and vaginal yeast infections are both types of vulvovaginitis, which is the general name for inflammation of the vagina or vulva. BV is the most common type of vaginitis, followed by vaginal yeast infections, then trichomoniasis (also known as trich).

BV and vaginal yeast infections may have some overlapping symptoms, like itchiness and discomfort. But BV is associated with a fishy odor, while yeast discharge is odorless. BV discharge also tends to be thin, grayish, or foamy, while yeast infection discharge tends to be thick, white, or like cottage cheese.

You're in the right place to get bacterial vaginosis treatment. If you think you have a vaginal yeast infection, we recommend that you start from Amazon One Medical's Vaginal yeast infection page.

If you think you have trich, a sexually transmitted infection (STI), you'll need to see a primary care provider for lab testing.

BV goes away on its own in about 30% of cases, but oral or vaginal antibiotics can relieve BV symptoms within days as opposed to weeks or months.

Depending on the type of medication, you'll need to use the prescription BV treatment for 2 to 7 days.

Bacterial vaginosis is caused by vaginal dysbiosis, which in this case means too much bacterial diversity in the vaginal microbiome. A healthy vaginal environment contains mostly Lactobacillus bacteria—and sometimes just these bacteria.

Lactobacilli produce enough lactic acid to keep vaginal pH levels under 4.5. When more species of bacteria colonize the vagina, lactic acid production goes down and pH levels go up. The vaginal microbiome also loses some of its antimicrobial, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory properties.

Although BV isn't generally defined as a sexually transmitted infection (STI), it often spreads through sexual contact. The pathogenic bacteria that characterize BV can be introduced through a variety of sexual activities, including sex without a condom or a recent change in sexual partners.

Some research has shown that probiotics can help prevent BV from recurring after initial treatment. While antibiotics act directly on "bad" bacteria, Lactobacillus probiotics may help your body reestablish a healthy vaginal microbiome.

You can consume probiotics naturally through foods like yogurt, or you can take probiotic supplements.

Vaginal bacterial infections often cause quality-of-life issues, but BV can also increase certain health risks. Less "good" bacteria in the vaginal microbiome can make a person more vulnerable to other infections of the genital tract.

For example, someone with bacterial vaginosis is more likely to contract an STI like herpes, human papillomavirus (HPV), or HIV. They may also be more vulnerable to urinary tract infections (UTIs) and pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).

BV in pregnancy can increase the risk of preterm labor and other pregnancy complications. If you're pregnant and you're experiencing BV symptoms, you're eligible for treatment through Amazon One Medical Pay-per-visit.

If you're pregnant without symptoms of BV and want to lower your risk, you'll need to discuss your options with a primary care provider.