Douching is cleansing or rinsing out the vagina by squirting water or other water related solutions like baking soda, vinegar or commercial douching solutions.
The commercial solution or water is taken into the container and are squirted through a tube or nozzle.
Why most of you prefer vaginal douching?
Usually, most of you like to douche because you believe that the process gives various benefits. But, frankly speaking douching causes more harm than good. The most common reasons why women prefer to douche include:
- To remove the abnormal odors from the vagina
- To clean the vagina
- To reduce the chances of occurring sexually transmitted diseases
- To prevent becoming pregnant
- To clean the blood after regular monthly periods
Vaginal douching is most common among the women in US. According to the studies, 20-40% of the women aged in between 15-44 used to douche regularly.
What about the safety of douching?
Experts said that all the healthy vaginas consist of some form of bacteria and some other organisms called as vaginal flora. The vagina’s normal acidity keeps the amount of bacteria low. But, if you follow vaginal douching, it disturbs this delicate balance. This can cause you to get vaginal infections.
Also, douching can transfer your existing vaginal infection up into your uterus, ovaries and also to the fallopian tubes.
How dangerous is douching?
Experts proved that women who douche regularly have more health related problems than women who do not. The most common dangers linked to vaginal douching include:
- Vaginal infections called as bacterial vaginosis (BV)
- Pelvic inflammatory diseases (PID)
- Vaginal irritation
- Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)
PID is an infection in your uterus, ovaries and fallopian tubes. This is mainly due to the bacteria that transfer from your vagina and cervix up into your reproductive organs.
If the condition is left untreated, then it can lead to infertility problems and even death. Also, PID increases the chances of ectopic pregnancy.
BV, STDs, and PID (Pelvic inflammatory diseases) can all cause most serious problems during your pregnancy. They include: infection to your baby, preterm delivery, and problems at the time of labor.
What are the effects of douching on your pregnancy?
Douching after the sex does not prevent you from becoming pregnant. Sperm can reach your uterus and travel through the fallopian tubes before you begin douching.
Some researchers showed that douching affects your fertility rate. The women who are trying to conceive, if douche regularly, it reduces the chances of becoming pregnant.
Frequent douching lead to deliver a baby with low birth weight and also increases the risk of ectopic pregnancy (tubal pregnancy). This is the condition in which the fertilized egg connects inside the fallopian tube instead of the uterus.
Due to these reasons, douching is no longer recommended as safe and healthy method to regularly clean your vagina.
The only safest method to clean your vagina is to allow the vagina clean itself. The chemical balance of your vagina is very sensitive and it is easily disturbed by regular vaginal douching.
