Women’s Health Issue March 2015

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Our bodies are a host to different colonies of bacteria and the balance of good bacteria vs. bad bacteria can be set off by a number of predisposing factors including stress or medications that can destabilize the healthy PH levels of urogenital health. This sets the conditions for Bacterial Vaginosis.

 

 What is Bacterial Vaginosis  (BV)?

This is a condition in women where the normal balance of vaginal bacteria is disrupted and replaced by an overgrowth of certain bacteria resulting in a depletion and displacement of the dominant healthy bacteria Lactobacillus species.

The diverse bacteria that are responsible for this condition are an overgrowth of massive colonization of Gardnerella, Atopobium, Eggerthella, Prevotella , BVA2 and Megasphaera. The bad Bacteria.

 

What are the symptoms?

Many do not develop symptoms but those who do may notice:

• Vaginal discharge that is grey, white or yellow.
• Fishy smell
• Irritation, itching, burning or pain in the vagina

[/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][dt_gap height=”30″][vc_column_text]May increase a woman’s susceptibility to

• STD’s
• HIV infections
• UTI’s (Urinary tract infections)

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][dt_gap height=”30″][vc_column_text]In Pregnant women, BV may increase the risk of:

• Pre-term labor and preterm delivery
• Miscarriage
• Postpartum complications such as endometriosis and wound infections

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][dt_gap height=”30″][vc_column_text]Predisposing factors

• IUD use
• New sexual partner
• More common if sexually active
• Douching

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][dt_gap height=”30″][vc_column_text]Common Medical Approach to BV treatment

• Suppositories
• Creams
• Antibiotics

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][dt_gap height=”30″][vc_column_text]Issues with treatment

• Bugs become resistant to drugs (antibiotics)
• Antibiotics can cause yeast infections (candida), redness and lumpy white discharge.
• Using a probiotic with Lactobacillus Acidophilus, a common species in dairy or supplements does not work to treat Bacterial Vaginosis because this type of species does not normally colonize in the vagina although this species is generally good for the imbalance of bad bacteria in the gut or gastrointestinal tract.

 

The good Bacteria that colonize in the vagina and have proven clinical benefits for BV are:

• Lactobacillus reuteri RC-14 strain (patented)
• Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1 strain (patented)

[/vc_column_text][dt_gap height=”30″][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]Best Options:

Using drug therapy has a rebound effect or reoccurrence in 15- 30 percent of patients within the first to the third month after treatment.  By combining the right strain of probiotic RC – 14 and GR -1  for a minimum  of 6 weeks will improve outcomes significantly.

These strains are found in the naturopathic practitioner product- Ultraflora Women’s by Metagenics available now at Firstline Nutrition.[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”32px”][vc_column_text]

Recommended Products:

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This Trio Combination is available at Firstline Nutrition

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References:

1. www.phac-aspc.gc.ca

2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Bacterial Vaginosis- CDC fact Sheet. http://www.cdc.gov/std/bv/stdfact-bacterial-vaginosis.htm

3. Koumans EH et al. Sex Transm Dis. 2007; 34:864-869

4. Shipitsyna E et al. PLoS ONE 2013;8(4):e60670

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