To Douche or not to Douche

Douching is a method of washing out the vagina, usually with a mixture of vinegar and water, also a wide variety of douching products which contain fragrances and antiseptics can be found on drug store shelves everywhere.

Many women claim to douche for different reasons:

• in order to eliminate unpleasant odors down there
• after (unprotected) sexual intercourse to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases
• after their menstrual period to feel “cleaner”

However douching is not effective for any of the purposes listed above.

The vagina creates it’s own delicate ecosystem and requires a certain (acidic) pH to maintain the balance of the good bacteria required to is specially designed to be a self cleansing organ and therefore doesn’t require anything more than water for washing.

Douching products sometimes contain antiseptics which reduce the amount of protective bacteria in the vagina and this could lead to increased risk of:

Bactrial infections such as bacterial vaginosis which in turn increase a womans chances of endometriosis and preterm labor

Pelvic Inflamatory disease which is an infection of the uterus, fallopian tubes and / or ovaries and may lead to infertility

Ectopic pregnancy which is an implantation of the embryo outside the womb

Health experts generally advice against douching.

It’s normal for the vagina to have a characteristic odor that is not unpleasant however an unpleasant odor from the vagina is most likely a sign of a vaginal infection and requires further investigation.

For prevention of pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections, barrier methods of contraception such as male and female condoms or diaphragms offer more protection.

In conclusion douching is not necessary for overall vaginal health and may cause more harm than good. Simply washing the vagina with warm water (and a maybe some mild soap on the outside only) is all thats needed for a healthy and happy vagina.