Bacterial vaginosis

3 imperatives to transform health care in America. You're invited to watch it live

Free

E-newsletter

Subscribe to Housecall

Our weekly general interest
e-newsletter keeps you up to date on a wide variety of health topics.

Sign up now

Tests and diagnosis

By Mayo Clinic staff

To diagnose bacterial vaginosis, your doctor may:

  • Ask questions about your medical history. Specifically, your doctor may ask about any previous vaginal infections or sexually transmitted infections.
  • Perform a pelvic exam. During a pelvic examination, you lie on an exam table, undressed from the waist down, with your feet in stirrups to spread your legs apart. Your doctor visually examines your external genitalia for signs of vaginal infection. Then, using a gloved hand, your doctor inserts two fingers into your vagina while pressing on your abdomen with the other hand to check your pelvic organs for unusual characteristics that may indicate disease.
  • Take a sample of vaginal secretions. Your doctor may collect a sample of vaginal secretions to check for an overgrowth of anaerobic bacteria in your vaginal flora. He or she may examine the vaginal secretions under a microscope, looking for "clue cells," vaginal cells covered with bacteria that are a diagnostic sign of bacterial vaginosis. Your doctor may also check the acidity of your vaginal environment by placing a pH test strip in your vagina. A vaginal pH of 4.5 or higher is another sign of bacterial vaginosis.
References
  1. Bacterial vaginosis fact sheet. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/std/bv/STDFact-Bacterial-Vaginosis.htm. Accessed July 21, 2010.
  2. Nyirjesy P. Vulvovaginal candidiasis and bacterial vaginosis. Infectious Disease Clinics of North America. 2008;22:637.
  3. ACOG Committee on Practice Bulletins — Gynecology. Vaginitis. Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2006;107:1195.
  4. Sexually transmitted diseases treatment guidelines 2006. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/std/treatment/2006/vaginal-discharge.htm. Accessed July 21, 2010.
  5. Sobel JD. Bacterial vaginosis. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed July 21, 2010.
  6. Boyd E, et al. Vaginitis: Bacterial vaginosis. In: Hillard PA. The 5-Minute Obstetrics and Gynecology Consult. Philadelphia, Pa.: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2008:204.
  7. Boardman LA, et al. Benign vulvovaginal disorders. In: Gibbs RS, et al. Danforth's Obstetrics and Gynecology. 10th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2008:625.
DS01193 Sept. 15, 2010

© 1998-2013 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). All rights reserved. A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. "Mayo," "Mayo Clinic," "MayoClinic.com," "EmbodyHealth," "Enhance your life," and the triple-shield Mayo Clinic logo are trademarks of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.

  • Reprints
  • Print
  • Share on:

  • Email

Advertisement


Text Size: smaller largerlarger