During pregnancy, there are few changes that will happen to your genitals. You will experience some amount of vaginal discharge, this is normal. Some women might experience heavy discharge some a little less. This discharge is an outcome of the hormonal changes happening in the body during pregnancy. However, some women feel uncomfortable due to heavy discharge and feel a need to keep themselves clean down there. They either wash the area excessively or opt for douching, a process in which one cleans the vagina internally using a liquid solution. While many vouch for the benefits of douching, but during pregnancy douching isn’t a good idea. Here is everything that you need to know about vaginal discharge during pregnancy.
First, know that vaginal discharge during pregnancy is common even if it more than what you experienced during your pre-pregnancy days. Your hormones trick your body into it. The only time you should worry about your discharge during pregnancy is if it smells foul accompanied by rashes, itching and is thick sticky greenish in colour. It could be indicative of an infection. Else, there is no reason to lose sleep over it. Douching is definitely not needed to deal with vaginal discharge during pregnancy. Here are few more reasons why using a vaginal douche is not a good idea.
In fact, studies have shown that douching during pregnancy increases a woman’s chances of suffering from bacterial vaginosis (BV). BV is defined as a condition where the pH balance of the vaginal area goes for a toss giving rise to the growth of bad bacteria. Some documented study state that douching consistently increases one’s risk of BV during pregnancy. However, the data was not all in support of ditching douching during pregnancy. It also stated that frequent intercourse and douching during pregnancy could increase one’s risk of BV. It is not clear if douching predisposes one to BV or is a consequence of it. But evidence shows that there is a direct link between pregnant woman developing BV and douching.
In India, douching isn’t as common as in the west, but still, vaginal infections during pregnancy do happen. It is only wise to stay away from feminine hygiene practices like douching which is known to increase the risk of BV. In fact, if vaginal discharge is making you bothersome keep your genitals clean by washing it with lukewarm water and a mild soapy solution. Avoid using scented vaginal washes or douche during pregnancy.
Reference:
Trabert, B., & Misra, D. P. (2007). Risk factors for bacterial vaginosis during pregnancy among African-American women. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 197(5), 477.e1–477.e8. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajog.2007.03.085
Image source: Shutterstock