| Clinical question | Bottom-line answer |
|---|---|
| Does treatment of the male sex partner reduce the likelihood of recurrent bacterial vaginosis in women?3 | Oral and topical treatment of male sex partners of female patients with bacterial vaginosis reduces recurrence. Treating male sex partners of women with bacterial vaginosis with oral metronidazole and topical clindamycin decreased the likelihood of recurrence (number needed to treat = 3). Ensuring adherence to the regimen is key; these results were achieved despite only 47 of 80 male partners being at least 70% adherent to the protocol. |
Yes! New research suggests that treating male sexual partners may help reduce the chance of bacterial vaginosis (BV) coming back.
Many women with BV notice a “fishy” odor, especially after sex, although some women have few or no other symptoms.
Recent studies have found that when male partners are treated at the same time—with oral metronidazole and topical clindamycin—the risk of BV recurring may be lower. This is an important shift in how we think about recurrent BV and suggests that treating both partners may help some couples break the cycle of repeat infections.
This new treatment of male-partner treatment stems from a 2025 randomized trial (Vodstrcil et al., NEJM) which found that concurrent treatment of male partners in monogamous heterosexual couples significantly reduced recurrence in women. This new treatment option challenges the longstanding practice of treating women alone. This contrasts with older guidance (and prior negative trials without topical therapy) that partner treatment was not beneficial; the difference is attributed to clearing penile carriage with topical antibiotics.
I hope this helps!
Dr. Leslie Greenberg's Blog 