It’s a cycle so many of us know too well—take the antibiotics, feel better for a while, and then BV returns like your toxic ex watching your Instagram stories. For years, I was told that BV was just a vaginal imbalance, poor hygiene, or something wrong with me. But deep down, I knew there was more to it.
Now, science is finally catching up.
A new study in the New England Journal of Medicine has confirmed that men can carry the bacteria associated with BV, and that treating women alone is not enough. In fact, in the study, when male partners were treated alongside women, the recurring infection rate dropped significantly. This is a major shift in the narrative because BV has always been treated as a “women’s issue”, despite growing evidence that the injection behaves more like an STI. Even past research that considered male involvement assumed the bacteria only lived in the urethra tract of men, leading to treatment with oral antibiotics. However, this study challenges that assumption, and shows us that the bacteria actually reside on the foreskin—explaining why topical treatment could be the key to reducing reinfection.
In the underfunded and under-researched field of vaginal health, these findings are significant because they confirm what many women have suspected:
BV isn’t just about us—it’s a STI involving both partners, and how we’ve been treating BV has been incomplete all along.
Though, while the study shows promising results, it may take some time before we see widespread, accessible treatment options for male partners in standard medical practices. Nonetheless, the study has opened the door for a much-needed shift in how BV is treated, and we can hope that in the near future, more comprehensive treatment plans will be developed.
What This Study Found
Researchers studied 150 couples and found that women who only took antibiotics as treatment had a 63% recurrence rate. But when their male partners were also treated, that number dropped to 35%—a significant difference. Previously, men were typically given only oral antibiotics under the assumption that the bacteria responsible for BV lived solely in the urethra. However, this study took a different approach, using topical antibiotics instead, based on new findings that the bacteria actually reside on the foreskin. This is especially relevant because uncircumcised men appear to be less likely to carry the bacteria linked to BV. And yet, for years, BV has been brushed off as our issue, with little attention directed to the question: should we be treating both people?
When male partners were treated, BV recurrence rates nearly halved.
Why We Should Question Antibiotics
For so long, doctors have been prescribing antibiotics to treat symptoms of BV. But if they truly worked long-term, why do so many women find themselves stuck in a cycle of recurrence? Antibiotics wipe out both harmful and beneficial bacteria, disrupting the vaginal microbiome instead of restoring balance. And now, with research showing that untreated partners may contribute to reinfection, it’s clear that antibiotics alone are not the complete answer.
This Changes Everything
It’s time for better holistic care, more inclusive conversations, and solutions that are based on fact, not bias.
It does make us wonder—how much longer would we have been in the dark ages if this study hadn’t come out? How many times have women been dismissed, told it’s just our bodies or our hygiene when it comes to vaginal health? BV has been framed as a 'women’s issue' for so long, and women have been gaslit by the medical system. We have been dismissed, told it's just our bodies or our hygiene, and not taken seriously. Sound familiar?
Unfortunately, the truth is, if BV affected men the way it affects women, we likely would have had better treatments decades ago. But now that we know better, we can demand better. Let’s continue to challenge outdated approaches and move toward solutions that actually work for women.
At Pinc Wellness, we’re here to change the conversation. If you’ve struggled with BV, you’re not alone—we’re with you.
Xx