Besides being pregnant, other risk factors increase your chances of getting BV. These include:
- Having multiple sex partners or a new sex partner: Even though the cause of BV is unknown, the infection is linked to sexual activity. BV is more common in women who have sex with other women.
- Douching: Vaginal douching is known to increase the risk of BV. Women are generally discouraged to use a douche since the vagina is already self-cleaning.
- Lacking certain bacteria: Some women’s bodies do not produce enough of the “good” bacteria in the vagina, making it easier to cause infection.
- Being a Black Woman: BV is twice as common in black women than in white women. The cause for this is not fully understood.
- Used an intrauterine device (also called IUD)