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The Curious Bag
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Gardnerella is another term for bacterial vaginosis, an imbalance of good and bad bacteria found naturally in the vagina. Although the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that the underlying cause is unknown, there are several known risk factors.
Sexual Risk Factors
A woman who has a new sex partner or who has had many sex partners may develop bacterial vaginosis, according to the CDC. Unprotected sex is another risk behavior, according to WomensHealth.gov.
Features
Bacterial vaginosis often falls under the category of sexually transmitted diseases. However, there is no specific sexual cause (such as a virus or bacterium), and women who have never had sex can get bacterial vaginosis, according to the CDC.
Considerations
Although there is no specific infectious agent in bacterial vaginosis, a woman who has sex with women may sometimes pass the condition on to her female partners, according to WomensHealth.gov.
Douching
Douching is a risk behavior for developing bacterial vaginosis, according to WomensHealth.gov and the CDC.
IUD
Having an intrauterine device (a form of birth control) increases a woman's chances of developing bacterial vaginosis, according to WomensHealth.gov.
Source:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Bacterial Vaginosis
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