21.2 million, or 29.2%, of women aged 14 – 49 have been diagnosed with bacterial vaginosis.
Bacterial vaginosis, or BV, is a type of vaginal inflammation caused by the overgrowth of bacteria naturally found in the vagina, which upsets the natural balance. BV is the most common vaginal condition in women ages 15 to 44, but women of any age can get it. BV is treatable, but, if left untreated, it can raise your risk for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and cause problems during pregnancy. With so many women affected, why are we not talking about it? And why do so many women experience a delay in diagnosis? Daniella Levy, co-founder and CEO of HappyV shares her story on Episode 10 of HERvoice – from battling BV, to fighting the stigma in her community around vaginal health and hygiene to the founding of HappyV.