Final answer:
Bacterial vaginosis should be treated early in pregnancy to prevent preterm birth. Effective treatment with a high success rate is available, and avoiding antibiotics that disrupt normal vaginal flora is important for prevention.
Step-by-step explanation:
Treating bacterial vaginosis (BV) early during pregnancy is essential to prevent preterm birth. During pregnancy, hormonal changes can alter the balance of microbiota in the vagina, leading to infections like BV. Effective treatment of BV in pregnant women should begin promptly to diminish the risk of preterm birth, which is associated with complications such as low birth weight and potential developmental issues for the newborn.
Topical treatments have a high success rate of 80-90% for resolving BV, and in cases where infections are recurrent or persistent, longer-term or intermittent treatment is typically effective. Preventing vaginitis, in general, includes practices such as wearing loose cotton underwear and avoiding perfumed hygiene products that disrupt the natural pH and bacterial balance of the vagina.
Antibiotics may sometimes lead to BV or vaginitis because they can disrupt the normal vaginal flora, leading to an imbalance that favors the growth of pathogenic microorganisms. Therefore, a careful approach to the administration of antibiotics is needed, especially during pregnancy.