Picture this: your discharge is *not* normal, whether it’s from your period, a new partner, a new product, or seemingly for no reason at all. So you head to your primary care doctor or your local walk-in. Just $200 dollars in medical bills, a week of antibiotics, a few hours of waiting room time, and one uncomfortable conversation with who you had really hoped would not be a male doctor later, you’ve got your groove back. That is, until it happens again a month later.
If this situation was a little too easy for you to imagine—because this has actually happened to you before—this blog is for you. When Mommy Wata CEO and Founder Alexis Johnson’s doctor’s office started to feel a little too much like a second home, she set out to create a solution for her recurrent bacterial vaginosis (BV). Johnson’s first product was an antibacterial yoni soap to prevent BV from even starting during a woman's most susceptible moments. But what if you’re already a few days in to the infection? Don’t worry—it’s not too late for you yet. Mommy Wata’s organic
Balancing Pearls are a more natural, healthy, and gentle (not to mention more cost-effective) way to treat bacterial vaginosis. (And we're not even mentioning all of the brunches and GNOs you won't have to miss out on anymore because of the Metronidazole-alcohol reaction 😉)
The Problem
But before we talk about the solution, let’s dive into the problem: BV. Bacterial vaginosis is an overgrowth of bacteria that’s normally present in the vagina anyways, and it’s also the most common vaginal condition among sexually active women of child-bearing age. The vagina is what scientists call a microbiome. That means it contains good bacteria, which are called anaerobes, and good bacteria, refereed to as lactobacilli. Usually, these bacteria live in harmony with one another in a healthy, pH-balanced environment. However, when something throws the natural pH balance off (and we know that something can be anything), the bad bacteria can multiply too quickly and cause discomfort.
And while bacterial vaginosis is a comparatively easy problem to solve on its own, it can cause more serious problems down the road. An ongoing infection can increase the risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections, and it can also lead to a condition called pelvic inflammatory disease, which can scar and damage reproductive organs if left untreated.
So while you should always treat your BV, treating it too often can also cause problems. The more often you take antibiotics—whether for BV or another infection—the more likely you are to develop resistance to them. In fact, antibiotic resistance is one of the factors scientists believe may be to blame for the recurrent types of infections Johnson struggled with.
The Problem with the Solution
Antibiotics are simply not good for the body, and there are quite a few pitfalls with using them to treat bacterial vaginosis (besides antibacterial resistance). Because there isn’t one particular bacteria to pinpoint as the culprit of BV, the medications doctors prescribe for the condition kill all the bacteria in the vagina. The good, the bad, along with whichever ugly strain is actually responsible for the infection. However, the body actually needs some of the healthy bacteria antibiotics wipe out. The new lack of bacteria can throw the pH balance off again— now we’re back to square one with what caused the original problem. That’s why, along with antibiotics, many doctors prescribe medications for the yeast infections that are bound to occur because of the pH imbalance.
The Real Solution
Enter boric acid. Boric acid is a natural substance—a compound of oxygen, boron, and hydrogen—known for its antibacterial properties and its ability to re-stabilize the vagina’s natural pH balance. Because it doesn’t decimate the entire vaginal bacterial population–it merely kills off most of the anaerobes that cause infections—it’s much more gentle and less problematic than the traditional antibiotic treatment.
That’s exactly why Johnson named her boric acid suppositories “Balancing Pearls—” they truly balance the vaginal microbiome rather than shifting the problem from one end of the bacterial count spectrum to the other. And while you can use her suppositories for up to 7 consecutive days, from her own experience, Johnson says it typically only takes 2 doses to finish the job.
So how do you use Mommy Wata’s Balancing Pearls? The pearls take about an hour to dissolve after they are inserted into the vaginal canal, and they work better if you are in a horizontal position—Johnson recommends taking them right before bed. And that’s really all there is to it. You should feel a difference within just a few days, without any of the hassle or side effects of traditional antibiotics.
So if you suffer with frequent bacterial vaginosis infections, and worse, the side effects of antibiotics and medical bills that follow, try out Mommy Wata’s Balancing Pearls next time you feel an infection coming on. You deserve so much more than a toxic, on-again, off-again relationship with clindamycin and metronidazole.
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