- HIV infection susceptibility - having BV may make a woman more susceptible to HIV infection if she is exposed to the virus.
- Transmitting HIV - females with bacterial vaginosis who are HIV positive are three times more likely to transmit HIV to their male sexual partners than other women, scientists from the University of California, San Francisco, revealed in PLoS Medicine (June 2012 issue).
- Other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) - a woman with BV is more susceptible to becoming infected with the herpes simplex virus, Chlamydia, gonorrhea, and HPV (human papilloma virus).
- Post-surgical infection - a woman with BV has an increased risk of developing an infection after surgery, such as an abortion or hysterectomy.
- Pregnancy complications - having BV increases the risk of some pregnancy complications, such as:
- Giving birth early (preterm delivery)
- A late miscarriage
- The amniotic sac breaking open too early
- Chorioamnionitis - inflammation of the membranes that surround the fetus (chorion and amnion). Significantly increases the risk of preterm labor, and if the child survives, the risk of cerebral palsy.
- Postpartum endometritis - the lining of the uterus becomes irritated or inflamed after giving birth.
- Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) - women with BV are more susceptible to developing PID; infection and inflammation of the upper female genital tract.
- Tubal factor infertility - caused by fallopian tube damage. The fallopian tubes connect the ovaries to the uterus.
- In-vitro fertilization - women with BV may have a lower success rate with IVF.
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