High-dose vitamin D not effective for helping women with repeat reproductive tract infections

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Women with the reproductive infection bacterial vaginosis (BV) do not benefit from high-dose vitamin-D supplementation, according to new research. The findings add to a body of conflicting data about a possible link between vitamin D — a powerful immune system regulator — and BV, which is the most common vaginal infection among women ages 15-44 around the world.

“Earlier studies observed that women with low vitamin D levels were more likely to have bacterial vaginosis, and we hypothesized that vitamin D supplementation might reduce BV,” said the trial’s lead author Abigail Norris Turner, PhD, an infectious disease expert at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. “However, our study found that high-dose vitamin D supplementation wasn’t helpful in preventing recurrence of BV.”

BV is caused by an imbalance in the bacteria that normally populate the reproductive tract, and is not sexually transmitted. Initial antimicrobial treatment is usually successful, but many women go on to have repeat episodes of BV. Some women don’t have symptoms, while others have symptoms that sufferers say are embarrassing and detrimental to their sexual relationships.

Beyond embarrassment, BV has much more serious health implications: in pregnant women, it can cause spontaneous abortions, and women who have BV are more susceptible to acquiring and transmitting HIV. In the United States, 21 million women are diagnosed with BV each year, and black women are almost twice as likely to have the condition as white women.

“BV is a very real health issue for millions of women, many of whom have limited access to medical care,” said Turner, who was originally an HIV epidemiologist before turning her focus to women’s reproductive health more generally. “Finding a low cost, simple way to help women with recurrent BV would be a major global public health win.”

Turner and her research mentor, Rebecca Jackson, MD, emphasize that while vitamin D may not be useful for treating women with recurrent BV, the jury is still out on the vitamin’s ability to prevent BV from initially developing.

“Vitamin D is critical to a healthy immune system, so there may still be a role for it from a prevention standpoint,” said Jackson, a women’s health expert and Director of the CCTS. “And certainly, women of all ages should make sure they are getting adequate amounts of vitamin D through diet, daily exposure to sunlight or supplementation.”

Turner says that while she is able to rule out vitamin D as a solution for recurrent BV, the disappointing results have pushed her to pursue a different track.

“I think we need to go back to why people studied vitamin D as a BV risk factor initially — and that’s the immune system and immune response,” said Turner. “Most women have continually fluctuating concentrations of ‘good’ and ‘bad’ bacteria in the genital tract. What immune factors lead some women to develop BV, and others to more effectively regulate the balance of bacteria in the vagina?”

Turner is in the process of developing a grant proposal to explore her hypothesis further.

Categories: bacterial vaginosis, dose vitamin, high-dose, recurrent bv, reproductive tract, science daily, turner, vitamin, Women

Discharge Diagnosis: Are Your Vaginal Fluids Normal?

When you go through puberty, vaginal discharge is one of the changes you go through that can be a bit of a shock. However, not only is vaginal discharge perfectly normal, it’s also vital for your sexual health. Normal vaginal discharge has several purposes, including cleaning and lubricating your vagina, and helping to guard your wellbeing against infections. Throughout your menstrual cycle, it’s common for the colour, texture and amount of your vaginal fluids to vary. However, some changes in your discharge may indicate a problem with your wellness.

 

But before we get onto the bad changes in vaginal discharge, first we need to clarify exactly what’s normal and abnormal, so you will be able to recognise changes as and when they occur. As we’ve already covered, normal vaginal fluids can vary somewhat in texture and colour. You might find your discharge is thin, sticky and elastic, or it may be fairly thick and gooey. Healthy vaginal fluids will either be clear, white or off-white in colour. If this sounds familiar, then you are perfectly healthy down there. However, it’s important to keep an eye out for changes in your vaginal fluids, as these may indicate a problem.

• If you’re concerned about your vaginal fluids, ask yourself the following questions:


• Has there been a change in odour (especially an unpleasant odour)?


• Has there been change in colour? Does it look greenish, greyish, or anything looking like pus?


• Has there been a change in texture, such as becoming more foamy or looking like cottage cheese?


• Are you experiencing any itching, burning, swelling, or redness in your vagina?


• Has there been any unusual vaginal bleeding or spotting that is not a menstrual period?

 

There are many factors that can cause such changes in your vaginal fluids. If you have a vaginal infection, such as bacterial vaginosis, candidiasis (yeast infection) or trichomoniasis, this can change the colour and texture of your discharge, and is one of the more common reasons why women are affected by this. Abnormal vaginal discharge can also occur due to certain infections that spread by having sex, such as gonorrhoea. Some infections are transmitted sexually or non-sexually, such as bacterial vaginosis or a yeast infection. As the causes of abnormal vaginal discharge can look very similar, let’s look at the above infections in a little more detail so you know which differences to look for:

 

1. Yeast infections: These tend not to have a strong smell, but may cause severe itching and burning in your vagina. In terms of your discharge, a yeast infection may cause the texture to become very white and thick, resembling cottage cheese.

 

2. Bacterial vaginosis (BV): Unlike yeast infections, BV may cause your discharge to have an unpleasant, fishy odour, and your fluids may be thin and greyish in colour.

 

3. Trichomoniasis: This is a common sexually transmitted infection (STI) that can cause your discharge to become frothy and a yellow-green colour. Trichomoniasis also often causes vaginal itching and pain during urination, and may also develop a strong smell.

 

If you think you may have a problem or notice any changes in your vaginal discharge, you should see a doctor as soon as possible, or go to a health clinic. This is important for any girl to do, but especially if you have had sex. Many STIs cause changes in vaginal discharge, and so if you’ve had unprotected sex or sexual contact in which the condom broke or wasn’t properly used, you may be at risk. You should tell your doctor if there’s a chance you may be at risk to an STI.

Categories: abnormal vaginal, bacterial vaginosis, Bacterial vaginosis (BV), cottage cheese, normal vaginal, strong smell, vaginal discharge, vaginal fluids, yeast infection, Yeast Infections

Women at Risk of Vaginal Infection Due to Petroleum Jelly

A new study led by Joelle Brown at the University of California, San Francisco suggests that women who use petroleum jelly vaginally might be at the risk of a common infection called bacterial vaginosis.

 

Earlier research on the topic has certainly linked douching to harmful effects such as sexually transmitted diseases (STD), pelvic inflammatory diseases as well as bacterial vaginosis. However, according to Brown, very less research has been carried out on other products used by women vaginally.

 

After studying 141 Los Angeles women, the research derived that half of them had used some varied products vaginally in the past one month including petroleum jelly, baby oil and other sexual lubricants. Around 45 percent of them reported douching.

 

While testing the women for any infections, the study showed that women who used petroleum jelly in the past month were at a greater risk of bacterial vaginosis compared to the non-users.

 

What causes bacterial vaginosis? What are the symptoms?

The infection occurs due to a disruption or an imbalance caused between ‘good’ and ‘bad’ bacteria in the vagina. Itching, burning sensation, discharge or pain can be a few symptoms of bacterial vaginosis. However most of the women suffering from this infection may not get any symptoms mentioned. The infection generally doesn’t cause long term problems.

 

Nevertheless, bacterial vaginosis can increase the risk of contracting various STD’s including HIV – Human Immunodeficiency Virus. This can also lead to infertility in women due to a pelvic inflammatory disease.

 

Dr. Sten Vermund, director of the Institute for Global Health at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Nashville, Tenn supports the research too. According to him, it’s the alkaline properties in the petroleum jelly that increases the growth of bad bacteria in the vagina. He said, “An acidic vaginal environment is what protects women from colonization from abnormal organisms”.

 

As per Vermund, many studies have linked douching to a higher risk of vaginal infections as the practice disturbs the natural vaginal ecology. Experts believe that women don’t need to use products in order to clean the vagina. The area predominantly holds ‘good’ bacteria which produces hydrogen peroxide that works as a natural cleansing agent. However women continue to douche using various products available in the market.

 

These products might contain antiseptics and fragrances that can cause ill effects. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, about 40 percent of women aged 18 to 44 douche regularly. On this Vermund commented, “The frequency with which American women use unnecessary and harmful intra-vaginal products is unfortunate”.

 

What study suggests?

The research was conducted on a group of racially diverse women who were ready to test themselves for sexually transmitted diseases. The team found out that more than 25 percent of women were tested positive for HIV. Around 21 percent had bacterial vaginosis and 6 percent were suffering from yeast infection. As mentioned earlier, women who’d used petroleum jelly in the past month were 2.2 times more likely to be having bacterial vaginosis, keeping in mind the other factors such as age, race and douching habits.

 

It was found that the women were using the product not because they saw any symptoms. In fact, the ones affected did not show any sign or report vaginal symptoms. And the ones with symptoms said that they didn’t use petroleum jelly as a cure.

 

In contrast to Brown’s study, douching was not linked to bacterial vaginosis risk. This can be because of conducting the test on a small number of women as per Brown. Another fact she mentioned is that women use various other stuff to clean the insides that may comprise different chemicals and concentrations.

 

Likewise, sexual lubricants were not linked to bacterial vaginosis and as per Vermund, this research assures comfort to women who use sexual lubricants. However, Brown believes that more research and findings should be conducted on a larger basis in order to find out the effects of various products used by women vaginally.

 

As of now, Brown suggests that women should understand and know all the details of a product before using it. “Women should talk with their health care providers and ask them if the products they are using inside their vagina are known to be safe for use in the vagina,” Brown said.

Categories: bacterial vaginosis, infection, jelly, linked douching, pelvic inflammatory, petroleum, petroleum jelly, sexual lubricants, sexually transmitted, transmitted diseases, vagina