Dr. Marjorie Greenfield
Specializing in pregnancy and birth.
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 Ask Dr. Greenfield
Douching when Pregnant | | | QUESTION | | | Dear Dr. Greenfield,
Why is it important not to douche when pregnant? Are there any alternatives for pregnant women?— Kandra | | | ANSWER |
October 3, 2001 | | | Dear Kandra,
Douching, the process of washing the inside of the vagina, is an ancient practice. Some girls are taught by their mothers to douche after their periods, and many women have the custom of douching after intercourse. In the United States, douching is fairly common, but the exact number of women who douche isn't known. I would guess about twenty percent of my adult patients douche.
Most medical authorities, though, believe that the vagina should not ever be treated in this way--pregnant or not--that the vagina has its own mechanisms for keeping itself clean and in a healthy pH and bacterial balance, and that putting a liquid in there only increases the chance of infection. So, besides being in the habit, why douche? Under normal circumstances, a daily bath or shower should be enough to keep the vaginal area clean. Excess vaginal odor or irritation may be a sign of an infection that should be evaluated by your practitioner and treated with a specific therapy.
There are also some specific concerns about douching in pregnancy. Exactly how this occurs isn't known, but water that forcefully enters the vagina during pregnancy can get into the bloodstream, which can be life threatening. It's not certain whether douching, which is performed under low pressures, can lead to this complication --but why risk it?
Since douching has some medical risk and no clear benefits, now is a good time to find alternate practices that make you feel clean and keep you healthy. I hope that this answers your questions.— by Marjorie Greenfield, M.D. |
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