“An image shows a couple sitting back-to-back with text explaining that although there is a link between abnormal vaginal pH and sexual activity, pH imbalances and vaginal infections are not necessarily a sign of cheating.”

Can a vaginal infection ever be a red flag? Like, if you’re in a committed relationship and suddenly develop a vaginal pH imbalance that leads to a yeast infection or bacterial vaginosis, could this be a sign that your partner is cheating?

The good news is pH imbalances and vaginal infections are not necessarily a sign of cheating. Now, there is a link between abnormal vaginal pH and sexual activity, which we’ll get into later. But before you start updating your Hinge profile, keep reading. 

What is vaginal pH?

“An image with the title ‘What is Vaginal pH?’ explains the concept of vaginal pH balance. It shows a pH scale from 0 (acidic) to 14 (basic), highlighting that a balanced vaginal pH is between 3.8 and 4.5, which indicates enough good bacteria (Lactobacillus) in the vaginal microbiome. An unbalanced vaginal pH (greater than 4.5) can result from slight changes in routine or lifestyle, allowing bad bacteria to grow and triggering vaginal infections. The text concludes that vaginal pH balance provides great insight into overall vaginal health.”

Your vaginal pH balance is a little number that gives great insight into your overall vaginal health. If your vaginal pH is balanced, that indicates there are enough Lactobacillus in the vaginal microbiome to produce lactic acid lactic acid and prevent the growth of bad bacteria.  

But the vaginal microbiome is delicate, and even slight changes in routine or lifestyle can lead to changes in vaginal pH, killing off that Lactobacillus and allowing bad bacteria to take hold. This often leads to vaginal infections like bacterial vaginosis (BV) and vaginal yeast infections.

What are the most common causes of vaginal pH imbalance? 

“An image with the title ‘The 7 most common causes of vaginal pH imbalance’ shows various illustrations representing these causes: antibiotics, menopause, contraception, menstrual cycles, pregnancy, vaginal cleansers, and vaginal douching.”

The most common culprits of vaginal pH imbalance include: 

1. Using scented vaginal soaps, cleansers, or lubricants

Though these products often smell amazing, those smells are created by chemicals that, when they come in contact with your vagina, can alter your vaginal pH levels. They can also irritate your vaginal mucosa, or the mucus membrane of the vagina, which puts you at increased risk of vaginitis. 

2. Vaginal douching

Douching is the cleaning of the vagina using water or other cleansers. And healthcare providers advise against it. That’s because the vagina is actually self-cleaning, and flushing the vagina can disrupt the vaginal microbiome, leading to pH issues. 

3. Use or overuse of antibiotics

It’s not uncommon to develop a yeast infection after a course of antibiotics. That’s due to the way broad-spectrum antibiotics actually fight bacterial infections. They don’t just target the bad bacteria causing the infection. They kill all the bacteria in your body, including the good bacteria Lactobacillus, which is responsible for maintaining vaginal pH. 

4. Your menstrual cycles

Menstrual blood is slightly alkaline, which means it temporarily raises your vaginal pH. There’s not much you can do to prevent this, but forgetting to change your tampon or pad frequently, like every 2-3 hours, can prevent this temporary rise in pH from becoming not-so-temporary.

5. Menopause

Most people know estrogen is a part of women’s health but don’t necessarily know what it does. Estrogen promotes glycogen production, which keeps the vagina lubricated through normal vaginal discharge. During menopause, estrogen levels fall. This can diminish vaginal discharge and overall lubrication, leading to a gradual imbalance in vaginal pH. 

6. Contraception

If you are using a copper intrauterine device, or IUD, to prevent pregnancy, this can disrupt your vaginal pH balance. 

7. Pregnancy

Pregnant women experience hormone fluctuations and weakened immune systems, the combination of which makes you more prone to pH imbalance and vaginal infections. 

None of these apply to me. Does that mean my partner is a cheater?!

“An image with the title ‘Sexual activities and pH imbalance’ explains how various sexual activities can affect vaginal pH balance: Unprotected sex: Semen temporarily raises vaginal pH levels for 10-14 hours after penetrative sex, which can disrupt pH balance. Having a female sexual partner: Bacterial vaginosis caused by an overgrowth of bad bacteria can result from an overall pH imbalance and affects women with female partners more than those with male partners. Multiple sexual partners or a new sexual partner: Each partner introduces new microbes into the vagina, disrupting the natural vaginal microbiome and pH balance, and potentially introducing bacteria that lead to STDs/STIs. Dirty or improperly cleaned sex toys: Using uncleaned sex toys can disrupt the vaginal microbiome, so it’s important to clean them properly before and after each use.”

So you don’t douche, you aren’t using IUDs, you aren’t pregnant… but you have an imbalance vaginal pH. The next risk factor to consider is sex and sexual activity, not necessarily your sexual partner’s fidelity. 

Having penetrative sex, in general, can affect your vaginal pH level. But some further sex-related risk factors include: 

1. Unprotected sex

Semen temporarily raises your vaginal pH levels for 10-14 hours after penetrative sex to create a more favorable environment for sperm to swim. Frequent, unprotected sex can lead to a disruption in vaginal pH balance. 

2. Having a female sexual partner 

Believe it or not, despite what we just said about semen, one systematic review showed that bacterial vaginosis affected women with female sexual partners more than those with male sexual partners. Bacterial vaginosis is caused by an overgrowth of bad bacteria, which generally stems from an overall imbalance in pH. 

3. Multiple sexual partners or a new sexual partner

Each sex partner introduces a variety of new microbes into your vagina, which can disrupt your natural vaginal microbiome and pH balance. These sex partners can also introduce bacteria that lead to sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) or sexually transmitted infections (STIs), like gonorrhea, genital herpes, HPV, HIV/AIDS, chlamydia, and syphilis. 

Dirty or improperly cleaned sex toys

Penetrative sex does not always involve a penis, but anything inserted into the vagina can potentially disrupt the vaginal microbiome. If you use sex toys, make sure you are cleaning them often and properly. Using scented soaps or harsh cleaners on your sex toys can have the same effect as using them on your body, where the chemicals alter your vaginal pH balance. 

How do I know if my vaginal pH balance is off? 

“An image with the title ‘How do I know if my Vaginal pH balance is off?’ explains that people usually realize their vaginal pH balance is off when they develop a vaginal infection, such as bacterial vaginosis or a vaginal yeast infection. The image includes illustrations of bacteria and female reproductive organs.”

People usually only know their vaginal pH balance is off when they develop a vaginal infection. The two most common are bacterial vaginosis and a vaginal yeast infection. 

An image with the title ‘Symptoms of 2 common Vaginal Infections’ lists symptoms of bacterial vaginosis and vaginal yeast infection. For Bacterial Vaginosis: Unusual vaginal discharge that is white or gray in color. Itching or burning sensation around the vulva. A fishy, foul odor that is more noticeable after sex. Burning sensation during urination or sex. For Vaginal Yeast Infection: Abnormal vaginal discharge that is thick, white, and cottage cheese-like, with no odor. Itching or soreness around the vulva. Redness and swelling of the vulva. Burning sensation while urinating. The image includes illustrations of bacteria and fungi.

Bacterial vaginosis

Bacterial vaginosis, or BV, is one of the most common infections in women’s health, generally affecting women between the ages of 15 and 49. The CDC estimates it affects around 30% of women at least once in their lives, though many experience it more than that. BV is not a sexually transmitted infection or STI, but it is more common in sexually active women. 

Generally, the most common symptom of bacterial vaginosis is an unusual vaginal discharge that’s white or gray in color. But other, less common symptoms include: 

  • Itching or burning sensation around the vulva
  • A foul odor, which many describe as fish-like and is more noticeable after sex
  • Burning sensation during urination or sex

In 1 out of every 3 cases, BV clears on its own. But if you’re experiencing symptoms like the ones listed above, that’s a sign you should see your healthcare provider for some support. They may suggest you take a high-quality, daily probiotic, or they may prescribe you antibiotics, depending on the severity of the infection. 

The last thing you want to do is ignore a BV infection since untreated BV can lead to serious complications, like:

  • Increased risk of contracting STDs
  • Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)
  • Increased risk of infections after any surgery on your genitalia

For pregnant women, untreated BV can also lead to early labor or preterm birth.

Vaginal yeast infections

Vaginal yeast infections, also referred to as vaginal candidiasis, vulvovaginal candidiasis, or candidal vaginitis, are the second most common vaginal infection after BV. 

Like BV, symptoms include abnormal vaginal discharge, though the vaginal discharge with yeast infections tends to be thick, white, and cottage cheese-like. Unlike BV, this discharge is also odorless. Other symptoms include: 

  • Itching or soreness around the vulva
  • Redness and swelling of the vulva
  • Burning sensation while urinating

Vaginal yeast infections require a visit to your doctor. They might suggest you buy an over-the-counter antifungal, or they may prescribe one to you, depending on the severity of the infection.

How can I maintain a healthy vaginal pH? 

An image with the title ‘How can I maintain a healthy vaginal pH?’ shows a pH scale highlighting the ideal vaginal pH range (3.8 to 4.5). It lists tips for maintaining a healthy vaginal pH: Practice good vaginal hygiene. Incorporate a quality probiotic into your daily routine, particularly one that contains Lactobacillus. Maintain regular appointments with a gynecologist. Use a condom or dental dam during sex. Wear breathable, cotton underwear. Avoid douching.

Once you’ve treated any infections stemming from poor pH balance, you want to think about how you can maintain a healthy vaginal pH to prevent infections from coming back. 

For starters, practice good vaginal hygiene. This involves washing your vulva with mild, unscented soap and peeing every time you have sexual intercourse to help flush out any harmful bacteria that were introduced during sex. 

Other things you can do include: 

  • Avoiding douching
  • Use a condom or dental dam during sex
  • Wearing breathable, cotton underwear
  • Maintaining regular appointments with a gynecologist and healthcare professional

And if you are experiencing frequent infections, incorporating a probiotic into your daily routine can be helpful. Just make sure to buy one that contains clinically proven strains of Lactobacillus, like Happy V’s Prebiotic + Probiotic, so you can be sure you’re replenishing your good bacteria and restoring your vaginal microbiome. Recurrent infections are frustrating, but probiotics are an easy, affordable way to help break the cycle.