The TikTok Conversation Around Recurring BV and the Vaginal Microbiome
A viral TikTok conversation has reopened questions about why bacterial vaginosis so often returns, and what restoring the vaginal microbiome may have to do with it.
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For many women, bacterial vaginosis isn’t experienced as a one-time diagnosis.
If you’ve dealt with BV, you know it’s rarely a “one and done” situation. More like a frustrating loop. You get the symptoms, they clear up, and then they often come back right when you think you’re in the clear. That disconnect is what biomedical engineer Giana Jarrah, founder of With Meraki Co. (a brand focused on the vaginal microbiome), has been talking about for quite some time.
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Jarrah believes conventional bacterial vaginosis (BV) treatments often fail, according to a recent press release and this sentiment, as seen in response to her viral TikTok videos, resonates with women who feel exhausted by repeat antibiotic cycles and recurring symptoms.
What the Vaginal Microbiome Has to Do With BV
Jarrah argues in a recent press release that bacterial vaginosis is often treated too narrowly, with the focus placed on eradicating certain bacteria rather than addressing what she sees as the underlying microbial imbalance in the vaginal microbiome. “The medical establishment has been chasing the wrong target with BV for decades,” Jarrah said in the press release.
She points to research suggesting that bacteria often associated with BV, including Gardnerella vaginalis, can also exist in women without symptoms. In Jarrah’s framing, the bigger issue is what happens when protective bacteria decline. “When beneficial Lactobacillus species are depleted, harmful bacteria overgrow,” she said.
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The core of the issue shes says, might be that we’re looking at BV through a tiny pinhole. Jarrah thinks the medical focus is way too narrow because it’s all about killing “bad” bacteria. But what about the rest of the ecosystem? “The medical establishment has been chasing the wrong target with BV for decades,” Jarrah said in the release. It turns out that Gardnerella vaginalis (the usual suspect) lives in plenty of people who don’t even have symptoms.
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In Jarrah’s view, the real problem starts when the “good guys” disappear. “When beneficial Lactobacillus species are depleted, harmful bacteria overgrow,” she said. And she’s not a fan of how we use antibiotics here. The idea is that they just wipe the slate clean without actually fixing the foundation. “Antibiotics that kill everything without restoring Lactobacillus set women up for recurrence,” she added.
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Why Many Vaginal Probiotics Don’t Work the Way Women Expect
Jarrah’s company grew out of her own experience with recurrent UTIs and antibiotic resistance as explained in the release. Working in a microbiology lab, she began investigating why many probiotics marketed for vaginal health don’t seem to help. Her conclusion was straightforward. Many strains don’t survive digestion. “We recognized that strain selection is the foundation of an effective vaginal probiotic,” Jarrah explained.
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Where Vaginal Probiotics Fit Into the Conversation
With Meraki Co., as described in the press release, offers two oral probiotic supplements formulated around the same acid-resistant blend. One, With Clarity, is positioned as supporting urinary tract health and the vaginal microbiome, while the other, With Harmony, claims to support hormonal balance alongside vaginal microbiome health.
With Meraki Co. is part of a larger group of vaginal health probiotics now available. Women looking for vaginal microbiome support may also recognize mainstream options from brands like Renew Life Women’s Care and Garden of Life Women’s Probiotics marketed around maintaining healthy vaginal flora or overall “feminine balance.”
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As interest in this category has grown, wider conversations are happeing about the vaginal microbiome and the role of beneficial bacteria like Lactobacillus. Probiotics are just one approach some women explore as part of supporting vaginal health, though antibiotics remain the standard first-line treatment for BV and so Jarrah describes her goal as restoring what she sees as missing from the standard conversation around bacterial vaginosis. “We focus on delivering viable bacteria that actually work,” she said.
Click here to learn more about With Meraki Co.
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