Free risk assessment
Do I have BV?
Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is a common imbalance of vaginal bacteria — not an STI — that often causes a thin discharge and a fishy odor. Answer a few questions about your symptoms and risk factors to see how concerned to be and where to get care. This is a guide, not a diagnosis.
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Medically reviewed by Dr. Mei Chen, MD, FACOG · Updated June 2026
- Most common vaginal infection
- #1
- Among people aged 15–44 in the United States — more common than yeast infections or trichomoniasis
- Estimated U.S. cases
- 21.2 million
- Women aged 14–49 annually; prevalence ~29% (CDC/NHANES) — millions unaware
- Often symptomless
- ~84%
- of people with BV have no symptoms at all — it is frequently discovered only on routine testing
- Curable with antibiotics
- Yes
- 70–80% cure at 1 week; recurrence within 12 months affects ~50%
Many infections are silent. A low result here doesn't rule bacterial vaginosis (bv) out. If you've had a new partner or any concern, testing is the only way to be sure.
About bacterial vaginosis
What is bacterial vaginosis?
Noticed a change down there and wondering if it's BV? It's the most common vaginal condition there is, so you're in good company. Bacterial vaginosis isn't an infection caught from someone — it's the normal mix of vaginal bacteria tipping out of balance, the protective ones thinning out and others taking over. The classic giveaways are a thin grey-white discharge and a fishy odor that's often strongest after sex.
The thing is, BV looks a lot like a yeast infection or trichomoniasis, and all three are treated differently — so guessing from symptoms is a common way to get it wrong. A quick clinic test or swab sorts that out, and a short antibiotic course usually clears it. The frustrating part is how often it returns, so getting the right diagnosis the first time is worth it. This check weighs your answers to show how likely BV is; it isn't a diagnosis.
84 in 100
of people who have it notice no symptoms
Screening guidance
Who should get tested for bacterial vaginosis?
Because bacterial vaginosis is often silent, the CDC recommends routine screening for the groups most likely to have it — not just people with symptoms.
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1
You have a thin grey discharge or fishy smell
Those are the hallmark signs — and because yeast and trichomoniasis can look similar but need different treatment, a test is the only way to be sure which one it is.
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2
Your symptoms keep coming back
If you've been treated for 'yeast' more than once and it returns, recurrent BV may be what's actually going on — a test settles it.
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3
You've recently had a new partner
BV shares its risk factors with STIs and its symptoms overlap with trichomoniasis, so after a new partner it's worth checking for both at once.
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4
You're pregnant with symptoms
BV in pregnancy is linked to early labor and low birth weight, so symptoms are worth getting evaluated and treated rather than waiting out.
Timing
When a bacterial vaginosis test is reliable
There's no exposure clock to count down with BV — it isn't caught at a set moment, so there's nothing to wait for. The right time to test is simply when symptoms show up. A clinic can often tell the same visit with a quick wet-mount; a lab panel takes a day or two. Because BV, yeast and trichomoniasis look so alike, it's better to test than to self-treat.
U.S. data
Bacterial vaginosis in the United States
BV is the most common vaginal condition in people aged 15–44. The CDC estimates 21.2 million cases in U.S. women aged 14–49 annually, based on NHANES population surveys (BV is not a nationally reportable condition, so surveillance relies on survey data rather than case counts). Roughly 84% of those with BV are asymptomatic. Prevalence is significantly higher in Black women (~50%) and Hispanic women than in white women (~23%) — a structural healthcare disparity, not a biologic one. BV is also common in women who have sex with women, with high partner concordance. Despite its prevalence, BV remains underdiagnosed due to high asymptomatic rates and limited primary-care awareness.
- 21.20M
- Estimated U.S. cases annually (women aged 14–49) (2020)
- #1
- most common vaginal infection in the United States, ages 15–44
Related reading
Good to Know
Bacterial vaginosis (BV) questions
Common questions about bacterial vaginosis (bv) and bacterial vaginosis (bv) testing, answered.
How do I know if it's BV or a yeast infection?
BV typically causes a thin, gray or white discharge with a fishy odor (often stronger after sex) and little itching. Yeast usually causes a thick, white, odorless discharge with intense itching. They're treated differently, so it's worth confirming.
Is BV a sexually transmitted infection?
It's not classified as an STI, but it's strongly linked to sexual activity — new or multiple partners and not using condoms raise the risk, and recent research suggests treating male partners may cut recurrence. BV can also raise your susceptibility to actual STIs.
Can BV go away on its own?
Sometimes mild BV clears by itself, but symptomatic BV is usually treated with antibiotics to relieve symptoms and lower risks — especially in pregnancy, where it's linked to complications. Douching makes it worse, not better.
Why does BV keep coming back?
Recurrence is common — more than half of people get it again within a year. Avoiding douching and scented products helps; for frequent recurrences a clinician can prescribe a longer or maintenance course.
Do I still need an STI test if it's just BV?
Often yes. BV shares risk factors with STIs and its symptoms overlap with trichomoniasis, so if you've had a new partner it's worth ruling out an STI at the same time.
Trust & transparency
How this assessment works
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Grounded in public-health guidance
The questions — and how heavily each answer counts — follow the risk factors and symptoms the CDC and WHO describe for BV.
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A risk guide, not a diagnosis
Your answers produce a risk level — how concerned to be — and flag anything that needs urgent care. Only a lab test can confirm or rule out an infection.
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Private by design
It runs in your browser. We never ask for your name, email, or anything that identifies you.
Medically reviewed · Updated
Reviewed by Dr. Mei Chen, MD, FACOG · OB-GYN
Obstetrician-gynecologist focused on reproductive and sexual health for women — pregnancy, BV, yeast, trichomoniasis and HPV/cervical screening. Our editorial guidelines →
Sources & references
9 Sources
Clinical guidance
- CDC — Bacterial Vaginosis (Detailed Fact Sheet) https://www.cdc.gov/std/bv/stdfact-bacterial-vaginosis.htm
- CDC — STI Treatment Guidelines 2021: Bacterial Vaginosis https://www.cdc.gov/std/treatment-guidelines/bv.htm
- ACOG Practice Bulletin — Vaginitis in Nonpregnant Patients (2020) https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/practice-bulletin/articles/2020/01/vaginitis-in-nonpregnant-patients
Data & references
- Koumans et al. — Prevalence of BV in the United States, NHANES 2001–2004 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17978399/
- Muzny et al. — Male Partner Treatment to Prevent BV Recurrence (RCT, 2021) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33197915/
- Sobel et al. — Suppressive Metronidazole Gel for Recurrent BV (RCT) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16461871/
- MedlinePlus — Bacterial Vaginosis https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000888.htm
- Office on Women's Health — Bacterial Vaginosis https://www.womenshealth.gov/a-z-topics/bacterial-vaginosis
- Ravel et al. — Vaginal microbiome of reproductive-age women, PNAS (2011) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20534435/
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