I Have Bacterial Vaginosis: Should I Douche?
NO, you donot need to douche; the healthy, normally developed vagina is able to clean it self. Women are however subjected to constant messages from the media, magazines etc indicating that in order to ‘keep the vaginal clean and fresh' they need a number of feminine products to help them achieve this. This indirectly suggests that in fact the vagina is never clean. Ultimately though women need to recognize that the aims of some these products are to make money and that they do not necessarily have women's best interests at heart.
All healthy vaginas contain some bacteria and other organisms called the vaginal flora. The normal acidity of the vagina keeps the amount of bacteria down. 90% of bacteria found in the healthy vagina belong to the genus lactobacillus. These bacteria control the growth of bad bacteria that can cause infection. Douching can change this delicate balance by reducing the number of protective Lactobacilli,thus creating an environment in which there is an overgrowth of harmful bacteria. This may make a woman more prone to bacterial vaginosis and other vaginal infections due to a depletion of lactobacillus. Douching can also spread existing vaginal infections up into the uterus, fallopian tubes and ovaries.
What Is Vaginal Douching?
"Douche" is a French word which means to wash or soak. Vaginal douching is the practice of rinsing or cleaning out the vagina. Women douche mainly for hygienic reasons, to prevent or treat infection. Douching is a common practice among women all over the world. A survey found that in the United States 20 to 40 percent of American women aged 15 to 44 years douche regularly. About half of these women douche every week.
Most douches are made with water and vinegar, baking soda, iodine or a mixture of water and medicinal herbs. Some women use homemade douches of water and vinegar, although most use commercial prepackaged douches.