Bacterial Vaginosis

Only a healthcare provider can diagnose bacterial vaginosis. Contact a provider for an appointment if you have signs of BV. At your appointment, your provider will ask you about your medical history, including vaginal infections or sexually transmitted infections (STIs). They may also:

• Perform a pelvic exam: Your provider will place gloved fingers inside your vagina to look for signs of infection, like an increase in discharge or foul-smelling discharge that has a white or gray color.
• Take a sample of vaginal discharge: Your provider will insert a speculum into your vagina. Then, they’ll use a swab to get a sample of fluid from your vagina. The fluid is sent to a lab to see what types of bacteria are present.

Tests for bacterial vaginosis use samples of fluid from your vagina. That sample can undergo several types of tests for bacterial vaginosis. The most common are:

• Wet mount: This involves looking at your vaginal discharge on a glass slide under a microscope.
• Whiff test: Your provider smells your vaginal discharge for a fish-like smell.
• Vaginal pH: This test measures how acidic your discharge is. A higher pH may indicate BV.