BV
Abbreviation with 4 meanings
| Stands for | Bacterial vaginosis |
|---|---|
| Meanings | 4 |
| Categories | Medical, Business & Finance, Geography & Places |
BV has four meanings. The most common are Bacterial vaginosis (obstetrics & gynecology) and Besloten vennootschap (private limited company) (company type); it can also stand for Book value and Bouvet Island.
Meanings of BV at a glance
| # | BV stands for | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bacterial vaginosis | Medical › Obstetrics & Gynecology |
| 2 | Besloten vennootschap (private limited company) | Business & Finance › Company Type |
| 3 | Book value | Business & Finance › Accounting |
| 4 | Bouvet Island | Geography & Places › Country Code |
1. Bacterial vaginosis
Medical · Obstetrics & Gynecology Abbreviations
The most common cause of abnormal vaginal discharge in women of reproductive age, caused by an overgrowth of anaerobic bacteria replacing normal lactobacilli. Typical signs are thin gray discharge with a fishy odor, especially after sex.
Example: Amsel criteria 3/4 (clue cells, pH 5.0, positive whiff test): BV, metronidazole 500 mg BID x 7 days.
Diagnosis commonly uses Amsel criteria: thin homogeneous discharge, vaginal pH above 4.5, clue cells and a fishy odor with potassium hydroxide. Recurrence after treatment is common, and a 2025 randomized trial found that also treating male partners reduced recurrences. BV in pregnancy is associated with preterm birth.
2. Besloten vennootschap (private limited company)
Business & Finance · Company Type Abbreviations
Private limited company form in the Netherlands and Flemish-speaking Belgium, comparable to a UK Ltd or German GmbH. Shareholders' liability is limited, and shares are registered and transferred by notarial deed rather than traded publicly.
Example: The Dutch holding company is a BV owned by the founders' personal investment companies.
Written BV or B.V.; the full Dutch name is besloten vennootschap met beperkte aansprakelijkheid. Since the Flex-BV reform of 2012, a Dutch BV needs only a nominal amount of share capital, as little as one cent. Belgium's 2019 company code replaced the old BVBA with the BV (SRL in French).
3. Book value
Business & Finance · Accounting Abbreviations
Value of an asset or company according to its balance sheet: for an asset, cost minus accumulated depreciation; for a company, total assets minus total liabilities, equal to shareholders' equity. Investors compare it with market value to judge whether shares look cheap or expensive.
Example: With a BV of $30 a share and a stock price of $24, the bank trades at 0.8 times book.
The price-to-book (P/B) ratio divides share price by book value per share and is used especially for banks and insurers. Tangible book value excludes goodwill and other intangibles. In company names, BV is the Dutch besloten vennootschap, a private limited company.
4. Bouvet Island
Geography & Places · Country Code Abbreviations
Uninhabited Norwegian dependency in the South Atlantic, often called the most remote island in the world, with about 93 percent of its surface under glacier. Bouvet Island's alpha-3 code is BVT.
Example: The .bv domain is reserved by Norway but not open for registration, so no website uses BV.
The nearest land is Queen Maud Land in Antarctica, about 1,700 kilometres away. The alpha-3 code is BVT.
Related abbreviations
More obstetrics & gynecology abbreviations
- BPD – Biparietal diameter
- BPP – Biophysical profile
- BSO – Bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy
- BTL – Bilateral tubal ligation
- C-section – Cesarean section
- CIN – Cervical intraepithelial neoplasia
- COC – Combined oral contraceptive
- CRL – Crown-rump length
See all 89 obstetrics & gynecology abbreviations →
More company type abbreviations
- ASA – Allmennaksjeselskap (public limited company)
- B Corp – Certified B Corporation
- Bhd – Berhad (public limited company)
- bros. – Brothers
- C corp – C corporation
- CIC – Community interest company
- Cie – Compagnie (company)
- CIO – Charitable incorporated organisation
See all 78 company type abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.