Yes. If you’ve been diagnosed with BV, your sexual partner(s) should be treated as well. A 2025 randomized study found that treating women and their male partners significantly reduced BV recurrence—only 35% had BV return within 12 weeks compared to 63% when partners were not treated.

Even if your partner(s) has no symptoms, they can still carry and reintroduce BV-causing bacteria, leading to persistent or recurrent infections. Treating only one partner increases the risk of reinfection and is a common reason why your BV may keep coming back.

Your best option for online treatment for BV is to book a telehealth visit through a platform like Sesame. There, a licensed clinician can assess your symptoms to determine if you are dealing with BV, a yeast infection, or another type of vaginal infection.

They can then prescribe antibiotics for BV or recommend further in-person evaluation if necessary.

There isn’t a true over-the-counter (OTC) cure for bacterial vaginosis (BV). Since it’s caused by bacterial overgrowth, you’ll likely need a prescription for antibiotics like metronidazole or clindamycin to treat your BV.

However, there are a few OTC treatments for BV that can help with discomfort in the meantime. These include:

• Vaginal pH gel (lactic acid or “pH balancing” gels): These may help shift your vaginal pH back towards a normal balance, especially if you have a mild case of BV.
• Boric acid vaginal suppositories: These are inserted into the vagina to help with recurrent odor/discharge. - They work by acidifying the vaginal environment and should not be taken if you are pregnant
• Probiotics (especially Lactobacillus strains): While evidence is mixed, probiotics may help restore Lactobacillus bacteria (the “good” bacteria) and reduce BV recurrence for some people.

There are a few different testing options available that can help confirm if you have bacterial vaginosis.

• At-home pH tests: Over-the-counter pH tests can tell you if your pH is elevated, which is common when you have BV. These tests can’t directly diagnose BV, but they can help rule out other infections.
• Vaginal swabs: For these types of tests, a clinician takes a small sample of vaginal fluid and may do a “whiff” test (a test that checks for a fishy odor when the sample is mixed with a solution) or a microscope exam to look for signs of BV.
• Lab-based swab tests: Some clinics use a lab test (often called a vaginitis panel or NAAT/DNA test) that looks for bacteria linked to BV.

However, in some cases, providers may prescribe BV antibiotics without a lab test, especially if your symptoms are very typical, or if you’ve had lab-confirmed BV before and the pattern feels familiar.

Yes, BV can sometimes be treated online during a telehealth visit with a licensed healthcare provider.

If your doctor determines that you are experiencing bacterial vaginosis, they will discuss a treatment plan with you. Most cases of BV are treated with a course of antibiotics. If appropriate, your doctor can prescribe antibiotic medication to treat your condition. Depending on the medication, you can have your prescription delivered to your home or ready for same-day pickup at a pharmacy of your choice.

Yes, Sesame makes it easier than ever to get an antibiotics prescription for BV from the comfort of your own home. If you are experiencing any symptoms of BV (including thin, watery vaginal discharge, itching, or a foul-smelling, fishy odor), book a visit right away for a diagnosis and treatment plan.

If medication is prescribed, your provider can then send your prescription to your preferred pharmacy for same-day pickup. If you’d like, you can also opt to have your prescription sent discreetly to your door via online pharmacy.