Treat Or Maim: The Role Of Douching In Women's Health

Douching is a natural process that is required to maintain the hygiene of the female genital organs. It has been promoted since time immemorial, and it is generally accepted in society that this is the same mandatory procedure as washing and brushing your teeth in the morning.

The content of the article

• 1 Chlamydia
• 2 Pelvic inflammatory disease
• 3 Bacterial vaginosis
• 4 Trichomonas and yeast infection
• 5 Cervical cancer
• 6 Infertility, premature birth and ectopic pregnancy

The mass media actively instills in human minds that douching is very important and beneficial for the female microflora. According to statistics, about 15% of women in the United States douche on a regular basis. Some use homemade water-vinegar solutions, but most girls don't bother and buy disposable pharmaceutical supplies. For a moment, the sales of these disposable douches are up to $ 150 million a year.

Surprisingly, douching is not only unnecessary, but also harmful to the body. The vagina contains many bacteria that are closely related to each other. After douching, some of the bacteria die, which leads to an imbalance. This balance is restored within 72 hours. However, before the ratio of bacteria returns to normal, the risk of developing certain diseases increases.

Chlamydia

This is the most common sexually transmitted infection. Back in 1692, scientists from the University of Washington established a direct link between chlamydia and douching. Scientists have compared two types of women: those who have never done it, and those who have done it on a regular basis or at least once in their life. Those who did it rarely were twice as likely to become infected, and those who did it regularly were four.

Pelvic inflammatory disease2

Chlamydia tends to move, starting from the vagina, moving through the cervix into the uterus and fallopian tubes, where it easily provokes inflammatory processes in the pelvic floor. This threatens fertility and the life of a woman in general.

Researchers at Mount Sinai School in New York found that having a monthly procedure doubles the risk of pelvic floor inflammation, and a weekly procedure quadruples the risk. How is douching and pelvic floor inflammation interconnected? Studies have shown that the flow of foreign fluid pushes harmful bacteria into the uterus and fallopian tubes, where infection occurs.

Bacterial vaginosis3

The main symptom of this ailment is unpleasant discharge with a fishy smell. To prove the relationship between bacterial vaginosis and douching, scientists from the University of Pittsburgh organized a survey in which 1200 women took part. As you might guess, those who performed the flushing procedure had a 40% increased risk of disease.

Trichomonas and yeast infection4

To confirm the same relationship, American scientists tested 3,754 women aged 14 to 49 for infection. About 50% of infected girls stated that they occasionally practiced vaginal lavage with solutions or decoctions.

It's the same story with the risk of a yeast infection. However, here the experiment was carried out by Italian researchers, and 931 women participated in it. But the essence does not change from this - half of the girls who practice douching were more likely to contract this infection.

Cervical cancer5

Who would have thought, but one of the most insidious diseases of the female reproductive system can be triggered by innocuous washing of the vagina. American scientists studied 266 women who had the habit of douching and 408 who had never practiced it. Compared to the results, those who did not need to douche had a 40% lower risk of developing infections.

Infertility, premature birth and ectopic pregnancy6

Scientists from Washington watched 840 couples trying to conceive a child. Those who had sex for a year without contraceptives, and at the same time did not douche, managed to get pregnant in 90% of cases. Those who washed had a conception rate of 83%.

Ectopic pregnancy is the most dangerous phenomenon. In this situation, the fetus is not formed in the uterus, but is fixed in the fallopian tube. When the fetus grows, it can damage the tube, which poses a real threat to mommy's life. So, one study showed that women who have never practiced douching have a lower risk, 3.8 times of the occurrence of this pathology, when compared with those who are used to doing this procedure.

During pregnancy, any experiments with the body are fraught with negative consequences. This also includes douching. Of the 812 pregnant women, those who did this procedure had twice the risk of this phenomenon than those who did not do any flushing. Think a hundred times before exposing your child to this risk. After all, this entails irreversible changes in the development of the fetus, which will disrupt its further vital activity.

Didn't expect such results? Still would! Claims that douching is a guarantee of cleanliness and health are just a marketing ploy, which hides a potential health hazard. Gynecologists insist that the vagina is a self-cleaning organ that does not require external intervention.