What are the dangers linked to douching?
Research shows that women who douche regularly have more health problems than women who do not. Doctors are still unsure whether douching causes these problems. Douching may simply be more common in groups of women who tend to have these issues. Health problems linked to douching include: • vaginal irritation, • vaginal infections called bacterial vaginosis or BV, • sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), and • pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is an infection of a woman’s uterus, fallopian tubes and/or ovaries. It is caused by bacteria that travel from a woman’s vagina and cervix up into her reproductive organs. If left untreated, PID can cause fertility problems (difficulties getting pregnant). PID also boosts a woman’s chances of ectopic pregnancy (pregnancy in the fallopian tube instead of the uterus). Some STDs, BV, and PID can all lead to serious problems during pregnancy.
Research shows that women who douche regularly have more health problems than women who do not. Doctors are still unsure whether douching causes these problems. Douching may simply be more common in groups of women who tend to have these issues. Health problems linked to douching include: • vaginal irritation, • vaginal infections called bacterial vaginosis or BV, • sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), and • pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is an infection of a woman’s uterus, fallopian tubes and/or ovaries. It is caused by bacteria that travel from a woman’s vagina and cervix up into her reproductive organs. If left untreated, PID can cause fertility problems (difficulties getting pregnant). PID also boosts a woman’s chances of ectopic pregnancy (pregnancy in the fallopian tube instead of the uterus). Some STDs, BV, and PID can all lead to serious problems during pregnancy. These include infection in the baby, problems with labor, and early delivery
