this is a good question. bacterial vaginosis (bv) is usually caused by a disruption of the balance between "good" bacteria and "bad" bacteria in the vagina. (some people use the terms "good flora" and "bad flora" to refer to bacteria. ) it would seem logical then that taking a supplement to help keep the vaginal flora balanced would keep bacterial vaginosis at bay. the principle is the same as taking a supplement to help keep colon flora balanced in order to avoid symptoms like gas bloating and diarrhea. unfortunately there's little clinical evidence that taking l actobacillus will help with bv. that's because lactobacillus is a bacterium that aids in dairy digestion. this is not a bacterium that normally lives in the vagina. on the other hand one study showed that consuming live lactobacillus acidophilus cultures may reduce the incidence of vaginal yeast infection. with the wide variety of "probiotic" preparations available today if you do decide to try one you should choose one with acidophilus because that bacterium does reside naturally in the vagina. by the way you should not assume you have bacterial vaginosis. the symptoms of bv are very similar to other conditions such as yeast infection or trichomoniasis. if you have vaginal symptoms that don't clear up on their own within a few days your best bet is to see a doctor to get a real diagnosis. these different conditions all require different treatments. hope this helps!
can taking lactobacillius supplement pill reduce the chances of getting bacterial vaginosis?