Love your vagina, but skip the douche!

Douching is washing or cleaning out the inside of the vagina with water or other mixtures of fluids.

What Health Risks Can Douche Cause?

1 Vaginal Dryness - Douching may remove or alter the natural mucous of the vaginal walls.

2 Vaginal infections(bacterial vaginosis). Douching upsets the natural balance of bacteria in the vagina (called vaginal flora). These changes make the environment more favorable for the growth of bacteria that cause infection.

3 Pelvic inflammatory disease(PID). PID is an infection of the uterus, fallopian tubes, and/or ovaries. Research has found that women who douche may have a 73% higher risk of getting PID.

4 Cervicitis - Cervicitis is inflammation of the cervix. Like PID, cervicitis is often the result of STIs, but women who douche are also more likely to develop this condition.

5 Pregnancy complications. Women who douche more than once a week have more difficulty getting pregnant than those who don't douche. Douching may also increase the risk of ectopic pregnancy by as much as 76%.

Instead, maintain good hygiene by washing the external area with mild, ph-balanced intimate wash and water. Listen to your body, trust its wisdom, and let it do its thing. Celebrate the beauty of your unique, self-regulating ecosystem. Remember, a happy and healthy vagina needs no intervention.