Women can suffer from bacterial vaginosis, which is more commonly seen in women who have frequent sexual intercourse, or in postmenopausal women. It is not caused by an infection of a specific pathogen in the vagina, but rather by an imbalance of the normal flora that naturally resides in the vagina.

Normally, the female vagina has a self-cleaning capability. What this means is that there are large quantities of lactobacilli in the vagina, which can create an acidic environment that inhibits the growth of other bacteria. However, under certain pathological conditions, such as too frequent sexual activity, this balance can be disrupted, leading to a reduction in the number of lactobacilli. Consequently, the numbers of other pathogenic bacteria may increase, causing bacterial vaginosis. During this condition, there is no inflammatory alteration in the vaginal walls or cervix.