While as many as 1 in 5 women between 15 and 44 years old are thought to practice douching regularly, it can have unpleasant and even dangerous consequences. Vaginal douching involves filling a bottle or bag with water and squirting this upward into the vagina. Women sometimes choose to mix the water with other fluids, such as vinegar, or to buy douching products that may contain ingredients, such as baking soda, iodine, antiseptics, or fragrance. The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology state that women should not use douches.
The vaginal flora is the bacteria in the vagina. This keeps the vagina healthy and prevents infection. Douching can remove good bacteria from the vagina. Using a douche can change its pH balance, allow bad bacteria to multiply, and infections, irritations, raw skin, and more severe complications to occur. Douching can cause more harm than good.
The potential for complications, some of which may be severe, is dependent on the reasons a woman decides to douche in the first place. Douching is not a valid form of contraception. However, using a douche can make it more difficult for a woman who is trying to conceive.
There is a common misconception that douching can help prevent vaginal infections or get rid of them. However, the opposite is true. In fact, women who douche are five times more likely to develop vaginosis than those who do not.
Using a douche when an infection is already present is also more likely to make it worse and spread to other parts of the reproductive system. Acquire the license to the best health content in the world. December 31, Douching. What is vaginal douching? Is douching important for feminine hygiene?
Can douching do any harm? Can douching affect my fertility? Left untreated, this condition can be life-threatening and make it more difficult for a woman to get pregnant in the future, according to the National Women's Health Information Center Is douching ever recommended? References Douching Frequently Asked Questions.
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Wellness A-Z. A health news feed, reviewing the latest and most topical health stories. Douching can change the necessary balance of vaginal flora bacteria that live in the vagina and natural acidity in a healthy vagina. A healthy vagina has good and harmful bacteria. The balance of bacteria helps maintain an acidic environment.
The acidic environment protects the vagina from infections or irritation. Douching can cause an overgrowth of harmful bacteria. This can lead to a yeast infection or bacterial vaginosis. If you already have a vaginal infection, douching can push the bacteria causing the infection up into the uterus , fallopian tubes , and ovaries.
This can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease , a serious health problem. Douching is also linked to other health problems. Researchers are studying whether douching causes these problems or whether women at higher risk for these health problems are more likely to douche.
You should not douche to try to get rid of vaginal odor or other vaginal problems like discharge, pain, itching, or burning. Douching will only cover up odor for a short time and will make other problems worse. Call your doctor or nurse if you have:. These may be signs of a vaginal infection, or an STI. Do not douche before seeing your doctor or nurse. This can make it hard for the doctor or nurse to find out what may be wrong.
Doctors recommend that women do not douche. You do not need to douche to clean your vagina. Your body naturally flushes out and cleans your vagina. Any strong odor or irritation usually means something is wrong.
Douching also can raise your chances of a vaginal infection or an STI. If you have questions or concerns, talk to your doctor. It is best to let your vagina clean itself. The vagina cleans itself naturally by making mucous. The mucous washes away blood, semen, and vaginal discharge. If you are worried about vaginal odor, talk to your doctor or nurse. But you should know that even healthy, clean vaginas have a mild odor that changes throughout the day.
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