Vaginal vitamin C showed uncertain benefits for bacterial vaginosis
A review found higher short-term cure rates and a possible reduction in recurrence, but certainty was low or very low and longer-term evidence was limited.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
Vitamin C applied inside the vagina was linked to more short-term cures than control conditions or metronidazole in the pooled trials. Evidence certainty was low for the control comparison and very low for the antibiotic comparison. A separate prevention trial suggested fewer recurrences after antibiotic cure, but that result also had low certainty.
Only one trial examined recurrence after antibiotic cure. Most evidence concerned short follow-up, and the low certainty prevents a firm conclusion that vaginal vitamin C is better than antibiotics.
What researchers found
Short-term bacterial vaginosis cure
Intravaginal vitamin C versus placebo or no treatment at 1–3 weeks; risk ratio 1.57 (95% CI 1.03–2.39), low-certainty evidence.
Treatment and prevention are different
Most trials asked whether an existing episode cleared with treatment. The prevention trial instead enrolled patients after successful antibiotic treatment, so its recurrence result answers a different question from the short-term cure comparisons.
The route matters
These findings concern vitamin C used inside the vagina in nonpregnant patients. They do not establish effects of oral supplements or outcomes during pregnancy, and the abstract does not summarize adverse effects.
The original publication
Intravaginal Vitamin C for the Treatment and Prevention of Bacterial Vaginosis: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.
Khaikin Y, Elangainesan P, Winkler E et al.
Obstet Gynecol · 2026
- PubMed ID
- 41129824
- Record checked
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