Research has shown a link between trichomoniasis and two serious sequelae. Data suggest that:

- Trichomoniasis is associated with increased risk of transmission and infection of HIV.

- Trichomoniasis may cause a woman to deliver a low-birth-weight or premature infant.

- The role of trichomonas infection in causing cervical cancer is unclear, although trichomonas infection may be associated with co-infection with high-risk strains of HPV.

- "T. vaginalis" infection in males has been found to cause asymptomatic urethritis and prostatitis. In the prostate, it may create chronic inflammation that may eventually lead to prostate cancer.

Evidence from a randomized controlled trials for screening pregnant women who do not have symptoms for infection with trichomoniasis and treating women who test positive for the infection have not consistently shown a reduced risk of preterm birth. Further studies are needed to verify this result and determine the best method of screening. In the US, screening of pregnant women without any symptoms is only recommended in those with HIV as trichomonas infection is associated with increased risk of transmitting HIV to the fetus.

Vulvovaginitis in children may be "nonspecific", or caused by irritation with no known infectious cause, or infectious, caused by a pathogenic organism. Nonspecific vulvovaginitis may be triggered by fecal contamination, sexual abuse, chronic diseases, foreign bodies, nonestrogenized epithelium, chemical irritants, eczema, seborrhea, or immunodeficiency. It is treated with topical steroids; antibiotics may be given in cases where itching has resulted in a secondary infection.

Infectious vulvovaginitis can be caused by group A beta-hemolytic "Streptococcus" (7-20% of cases), "Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, Shigella, Yersinia", or common STI organisms ("Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Chlamydia trachomatis, Trichomonas vaginalis", herpes simplex virus, and human papillomavirus)"." Symptoms and treatment of infectious vulvovaginitis vary depending on the organism causing it. "Shigella" infections of the reproductive tract usually coexist with infectious of the gastrointestinal tract and cause mucous, purulent discharge. They are treated with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. "Streptococcus" infections cause similar symptoms to nonspecific vulvovaginitis and are treated with amoxicillin. STI-associated vulvovaginitis may be caused by sexual abuse or vertical transmission, and are treated and diagnosed like adult infections.

Some steps suggested to lower the risk include: not douching, avoiding sex, or limiting the number of sex partners.

One review concluded that probiotics may help prevent re-occurrence. Another review found that while there is tentative evidence it is not strong enough to recommend their use for this purpose.

Early evidence suggested that antibiotic treatment of male partners could re-establish the normal microbiota of the male urogenital tract and prevent the recurrence of infection. However, a 2016 Cochrane review found high-quality evidence that treating the sexual partners of women with bacterial vaginosis had no effect on symptoms, clinical outcomes, or recurrence in the affected women. It also found that such treatment may lead treated sexual partners to report increased adverse events.

Prevention of candidiasis, the most common type of vaginitis, includes using loose cotton underwear. The vaginal area should be washed with water. Perfumed soaps, shower gels, and vaginal deodorants should be avoided. Douching is not recommended. The practice upsets the normal balance of yeast in the vagina and does more harm than good.

Prevention of bacterial vaginosis includes healthy diets and behaviors as well as minimizing stress as all these factors can affect the pH balance of the vagina.

Prevention of trichomoniasis revolves around avoiding other people's wet towels and hot tubs, and safe-sex procedures, such as condom use.

Some women consume good bacteria in food with live culture, such as yogurt, sauerkraut and kimchi, or in probiotic supplements either to try to prevent candidiasis, or to reduce the likelihood of developing bacterial vaginitis following antibiotic treatment. There is no firm evidence to suggest that eating live yogurt or taking probiotic supplements will prevent candidiasis.

Studies have suggested a possible clinical role for the use of standardized oral or vaginal probiotics in the treatment of bacterial vaginosis, either in addition to or in place of the typical antibiotic regimens. However, recent articles question their efficacy in preventing recurrence compared with other means, or conclude that there is insufficient evidence for or against recommending probiotics for the treatment of bacterial vaginosis.

Treatment is typically with the antibiotics metronidazole or clindamycin. They can be either given by mouth or applied inside the vagina. About 10% to 15% of people, however, do not improve with the first course of antibiotics and recurrence rates of up to 80% have been documented. Recurrence rates are increased with sexual activity with the same pre-/posttreatment partner and inconsistent condom use although estrogen-containing contraceptives decrease recurrence. When clindamycin is given to pregnant women symptomatic with BV before 22 weeks of gestation the risk of pre-term birth before 37 weeks of gestation is lower.

Other antibiotics that may work include macrolides, lincosamides, nitroimidazoles, and penicillins.

Bacterial vaginosis is not considered a sexually transmitted infection, and treatment of a male sexual partner of a woman with bacterial vaginosis is not recommended.

Cervicitis can be caused by any of a number of infections, of which the most common are chlamydia and gonorrhea, with chlamydia accounting for approximately 40% of cases. As many half of pregnant women are asymptomatic with a gonorrhea infection of the cervix. "Trichomonas vaginalis" and herpes simplex are less common causes of cervicitis. There is a consistent association of M. genitalium infection and female reproductive tract syndromes. M. genitalium infection is significantly associated with increased risk of cervicitis.

Cervices is inflammation of the uterine cervix. Cervicitis in women has many features in common with urethritis in men and many cases are caused by sexually transmitted infections. Death may occur. Non-infectious causes of cervicitis can include intrauterine devices, contraceptive diaphragms, and allergic reactions to spermicides or latex condoms.

The condition is often confused with vaginismus which is a much simpler condition and easily rectified with simple exercises.

Up to 40% of women seek alternatives to treat vaginal yeast infection. Example products are herbal preparations, probiotics and vaginal acidifying agents. Other alternative treatment approaches include switching contraceptive, treatment of the sexual partner and gentian violet. However, the effectiveness of such treatments has not received much study.

Probiotics (either as pills or as yogurt) do not appear to decrease the rate of occurrence of vaginal yeast infections. No benefit has been found for active infections. Example probiotics purported to treat and prevent candida infections are Lactobacillus fermentum RC-14, Lactobacillus fermentum B-54, Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1, Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG and Lactobacillus acidophilus.

There is no evidence to support the use of special cleansing diets and colonic hydrotherapy for prevention.

A variety of drugs may be prescribed based on the cause of the patient's urethritis. Some examples of medications based on causes include: azithromycin, doxycycline, erythromycin, levofloxacin, metronidazole, ofloxacin, or tinidazole.

Proper perineal hygiene should be stressed. This includes avoiding use of vaginal deodorant sprays and proper wiping after urination and bowel movements. Intercourse should be avoided until symptoms subside.

Researchers had hoped that nonoxynol-9, a vaginal microbicide would help decrease STI risk. Trials, however, have found it ineffective and it may put women at a higher risk of HIV infection.

If contact dermatitis is suspected, soaps and other external irritants should be discontinued and a latex allergy should be investigated.

The treatment depends on identification of the cause. Irritants in the environment should be removed. Antibiotics and antifungals can be used to treat the infection, but good hygiene such as keeping the area dry is essential to stop recurrence, however excessive washing with soap can cause contact dermatitis.

If infection is sexually transmitted, sexual partners should be notified and treated.

Posthitis and balanitis (inflammation of the glans penis) usually occur together as balanoposthitis. Circumcision prevents balanoposthitis though balanitis can still occur separately.

Initial treatment in adults often involves simply pulling back the foreskin and cleaning the penis.

In the case of rape, the person can be treated prophylacticly with antibiotics.

An option for treating partners of patients (index cases) diagnosed with chlamydia or gonorrhea is patient-delivered partner therapy, which is the clinical practice of treating the sex partners of index cases by providing prescriptions or medications to the patient to take to his/her partner without the health care provider first examining the partner.

Risk of some causes of urethritis can be lessened by avoiding unprotected sexual activity, chemicals that could irritate the urethra; this could include detergents or lotions as well as spermicides or contraceptives, and irritation caused by manual manipulation of the urethra.

The following treatments are typically recommended:

- Intravaginal agents: butoconazole, clotrimazole, miconazole, nystatin, tioconazole, terconazole. Candidal vulvovaginitis in pregnancy should be treated with intravaginal clotrimazole or nystatin for at least 7 days. All are more or less equally effective.

- By mouth: fluconazole as a single dose. For severe disease another dose after 3 days may be used.

Short-course topical formulations (i.e., single dose and regimens of 1–3 days) effectively treat uncomplicated candidal vulvovaginitis. The topically applied azole drugs are more effective than nystatin. Treatment with azoles results in relief of symptoms and negative cultures in 80–90% of patients who complete therapy.

The creams and suppositories in this regimen are oil-based and might weaken latex condoms and diaphragms. Treatment for vagina thrush using antifungal medication is ineffective in up to 20% of cases. Treatment for thrush is considered to have failed if the symptoms do not clear within 7–14 days. There are a number of reasons for treatment failure. For example, if the infection is a different kind, such as bacterial vaginosis (the most common cause of abnormal vaginal discharge), rather than thrush.

Hygiene, in particular the regular cleaning of the glans, is generally considered sufficient to prevent infection and inflammation of the foreskin. Full retraction of the foreskin may not be possible in boys younger than about ten years and some may not be able to fully retract their foreskin for cleaning until their late teens.

Balanitis "is a common condition affecting 11% of adult men seen in urology clinics and 3% of children" in the United States; globally, balanitis "may occur in up to 3% of uncircumcised males".

Leukorrhea may be caused by sexually transmitted diseases; therefore, treating the STD will help treat the leukorrhea.

Treatment may include antibiotics, such as metronidazole. Other antibiotics common for the treatment of STDs include clindamycin or trinidazole.

A vaginal yeast infection results from overgrowth of candida albicans, or yeast, in the vagina. This is a relatively common infection, with over 75% of women having experienced at least one yeast infection at some point in their life. Risk factors for yeast infections include recent antibiotic use, diabetes, immunosuppression, increased estrogen levels, and use of certain contraceptive devices including intrauterine devices, diaphragms, or sponges. It is not a sexually transmitted infection. Candida vaginal infections are common; an estimated 75% of women will have at least one yeast infection in their lifetime. Vaginal discharge is not always present in yeast infections, but when occurring it is typically odorless, thick, white, and clumpy. Vaginal itching is the most common symptom of candida vulvovaginitis. Women may also experience burning, soreness, irritation, pain during urination, or pain during sex. The diagnosis of Candida vulvovaginitis is made by looking at a sample taken from the vagina under the microscope that shows hyphae (yeast), or from a culture. It is important to note that the symptoms described above may be present in other vaginal infections, so microscopic diagnosis or culture is needed to confirm the diagnosis. Treatment is with intra-vaginal or oral anti-fungal medications.

The most common reason pre-pubertal females go to the gynecologist is concern about vaginal discharge and vaginal odor. The causes of abnormal vaginal discharge in pre-pubertal girls are different than in adults and are usually related to lifestyle factors such as irritation from harsh soaps or tight clothing. The vagina of pre-pubertal girls (due to lack of estrogen) is thin-walled and has a different microbiota; additionally, the vulva in pre-pubertal girls lacks pubic hair. These features makes the vagina more prone to bacterial infection. The bacteria that are more commonly responsible for vaginal discharge in pre-pubertal girls are distinct from those in other age groups, and include Bacteriodes, Peptostreptococcus, and Candida (yeast). These can derive from the colonization of the vagina with oral or fecal bacteria. Another cause of vaginal discharge in pre-pubertal girls is the presence of a foreign object such as a toy or a piece of toilet paper. In the case of a foreign body, the discharge is often bloody or brown.

The word leukorrhea comes from Greek λευκός (leukós, “white”) + ῥοία (rhoía, “flow, flux”). In Latin leukorrhea is "fluor albus".

The most acute complication is paraphimosis. In this condition, the glans is swollen and painful, and the foreskin is immobilized by the swelling in a partially retracted position. The proximal penis is flaccid. Some studies found phimosis to be a risk factor for urinary retention and carcinoma of the penis.

Physiologic phimosis, common in males 10 years of age and younger, is normal, and does not require intervention. Non-retractile foreskin usually becomes retractable during the course of puberty.

If phimosis in older children or adults is not causing acute and severe problems, nonsurgical measures may be effective. Choice of treatment is often determined by whether circumcision is viewed as an option of last resort to be avoided or as the preferred course.

Balanitis plasmacellularis (also known as "Balanoposthitis chronica circumscripta plasmacellularis," "Balanitis circumscripta plasmacellularis," "Plasma cell balanitis," "Plasma cell vulvitis," "Vulvitis circumscripta plasmacellularis," "Zoon's balanitis," "Zoon's erythroplasia," and "Zoon's vulvitis") is a cutaneous condition characterized by a benign inflammatory skin lesion characterized histologically by a plasma cell infiltrate.

A similar condition has been described in women (i.e. "Zoon's vulvitis"), although its existence is controversial due to the possibility of diagnostic error in many of the cases that have been reported in the medical literature.

It is named for J.J. Zoon, who characterized it in 1952.