Explain the key points to your partner
- Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is a very common and treatable bacterial infection of the vagina
- Partners of people with BV can carry BV-causing bacteria on the penis, even if they don’t have any symptoms
- BV-bacteria can be exchanged during sex, which can cause a person who has taken treatment for BV, to be reinfected by an untreated sexual partner
- For people with a regular sex partner who has a penis, partner treatment may be an effective treatment option to improve BV cure and reduce the risk of reinfection
- Partner treatment involves taking an antibiotic tablet AND applying an antibiotic cream to the penis, twice a day for 7 days, at the same time you are taking your antibiotics for BV
Discuss with your partner why this matters
It may be helpful to talk about your experiences with BV and outline the potential benefits of partner treatment for you and your partner.
People with BV may experience discomfort, stress and unwanted impacts on their sexual relationships, in addition to carrying an increased risk of BV-associated health complications. See our BV Fact Sheet for more information.
Partner treatment involves one week of antibiotics, and it greatly improves the likelihood that BV is cured for the person with the vagina.
Come to a decision together
To make an informed decision, the about bacterial vaginosis page can be used to find out more about BV. The couples’ information, medication instructions, clinical trial findings, and experiences of others, documented in the FAQs, can be used to decide what is right for you.
Many couples have found the following points helpful when considering partner treatment:
- Helping their partner
- Mutually improving their sex life
- Protecting their future fertility & pregnancy outcomes
You may also need to consider:
- Time to attend a GP
- Costs of attending a GP and accessing medication (for individuals receiving Medicare, metronidazole tablets are cheap and available on the pharmaceutical benefits scheme and clindamycin cream is available on a private script for about $30 AUD).
- Your personal circumstances
- Using alternative options to reduce your risk of repeat infections, such as using condoms
Plan the next steps together
- Read more about partner treatment and what is involved
- Book an appointment with a healthcare professional
- If partner treatment is recommended, collect your medications from a pharmacy and find the best date to start partner treatment together
Where can I get help?
- Visit your local doctor or regular healthcare professional
- Visit us at MSHC
- Visit one of our partner GP clinics
- Visit a sexual health service near you
- Access treatment through PACT; a partner treatment study at MSHC for monogamous LGBTQIA+ couples
We understand the importance of discussing health issues openly but acknowledge that safety comes first. You are the best judge of whether partner treatment is the right pathway for you.
Our sexual health resources page can direct you to additional support. This includes resources tailored to counselling and support, and alcohol and drugs.
Helplines listed on White Ribbon Australia can provide crisis support for people experiencing domestic violence.