VAGINOSIS DIAGNOSIS

The diagnostic procedure consists of four steps, three of which must yield a positive result to confirm a diagnosis of BV.

•  First your doctor or a nurse takes a sample of your vaginal fluid. Magnified under a microscope, it may show the presence of numerous cells containing BV bacteria.

•  Next the vaginal fluid is analysed. A decrease in white blood cells may signal that BV is present, or a high white blood cell count might indicate more than one infection.

•  A lab then checks the fluid to determine whether it's normally acidic, with a pH ranging from approximately 3.9 to about 4.2. If the pH is greater than 4.5, you may have BV.

•  A technician adds an alkaline solution to the vaginal fluid and does a whiff test. A fishy odour indicates that BV is present.