{"id":15823,"date":"2020-10-31T22:45:42","date_gmt":"2020-11-01T03:45:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/macarthurmedi1.wpengine.com\/?p=15823"},"modified":"2020-10-31T22:45:42","modified_gmt":"2020-11-01T03:45:42","slug":"vaginal-douching-here-is-why-obgyns-say-dont-do-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/expioconsulting.com\/macarthur\/blog\/2020\/10\/31\/vaginal-douching-here-is-why-obgyns-say-dont-do-it\/","title":{"rendered":"Vaginal Douching; Here Is Why Obgyns say \u201cDon\u2019t Do it\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"

Doctors are against misguided feminine hygiene advice.<\/p>\n

Despite what your Grandma told you, douching is a #badidea. Almost one in five women douche under the false impression it reduces infections and improves hygiene. It does not. Douching disrupts the vaginal ecosystem and increases the risk of infections.<\/p>\n

Douching is not a new idea. Myths, wive\u2019s tales, and home remedies riddled with erroneous concepts of vaginal cleanliness and pregnancy prevention are a part of human history.<\/p>\n

In ancient Egypt, the en vogue vaginal cleansing remedy was a mixture of wine, vinegar, and garlic. In the middle ages, we progressed to steaming the vagina with an herbal blend through a process called vaginal fumigation. This futile technique was popular among prostitutes to wash away semen and reduce disease.<\/p>\n

In the mid 19th century, french doctors promoted vaginal hygiene products as a tool for better health. In the 20th century,\u00a0Lysol promoted its products\u00a0<\/a>as the poor man\u2019s emergency birth control.<\/p>\n

We may laugh at the inept and misguided medical history practices, but the feminine hygiene industry is alive and well and living on Amazon. Celebrities endorse the\u00a0Yoni Steam system. Women sit on a mini-throne while a combination of infrared and mugwort steam cleanses your uterus<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Medical\u00a0research<\/a>\u00a0links vaginal douching to an increased risk of\u00a0bacterial vaginosis<\/a>,\u00a0yeast infections<\/a>, pelvic inflammatory disease, tubal pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections, potentially increasing the risk of tubal pregnancy, and ovarian cancer.<\/p>\n

Gynecologists\u2019 advice is crystal clear: Don\u2019t douche.<\/p>\n

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AndreyPopov Istock by Getty<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

What is douching?<\/h4>\n

Douching is the practice of washing or cleaning out the vagina. Water, herbs, soaps, or other mixtures of fluids soak or rinse the inside of the vagina. Most douches are sold in stores as prepackaged bottles or bags of water and vinegar, baking soda, or iodine. The mixtures care squirted through a tube or nozzle into the vagina.<\/p>\n

Douching is not the same as taking a bath a shower. Washing the outside of the vagina is a safe and healthy habit.<\/p>\n

Most doctors recommend that women do not douche, but 20% of women of all ages and races use vaginal douches. Scientific research shows no medical benefit, and douching is linked to health problems.<\/p>\n

What is the harm in a vaginal douche?<\/h4>\n

Douching disrupts the vaginal chemistry and creates a pH imbalance. A healthy vagina contains a delicate ecosystem of\u00a0yeast<\/a>\u00a0and protective bacteria. The balance of bacteria helps maintain an acidic environment with a pH of 3.5\u20135.5. The acidic environment protects the vagina from an overgrowth of yeast or\u00a0harmful bacteria<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Douching changes the necessary balance of vaginal flora and disrupts the natural acidity in a healthy vagina. The acidic environment protects the vagina from infections or irritation.<\/p>\n

Douching disrupts the vaginal ecosystem allowing an overgrowth of yeast or harmful bacteria. This disruption can lead to a\u00a0yeast infection<\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0bacterial vaginosis<\/a>. If an infection is already present, douching can push the bacteria up into the uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries causing\u00a0pelvic inflammatory disease<\/a>.<\/p>\n

What are the health problems linked to douching?<\/h4>\n

Health problems linked to douching include:<\/p>\n