Can bacterial vaginosis cause other health conditions?

With correct and early diagnosis and treatment, bacterial vaginosis should not result in severe health conditions. However, complications can occur and bacterial vaginosis does pose risks of developing a number of conditions that include:

• Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) during pregnancy, abortion, hysterectomy, and surgery
• Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and transmission of HIV if exposed when infected with bacterial vaginosis
• STDs, such as chlamydia and gonorrhoea
• Premature and low-weight birth, infection in the uterus, and ruptured membranes
• Infertility

These health effects that can result because of bacterial vaginosis infection, are far more severe than most of the side-effects of antibiotics used to treat the infection.