Douching | Office on Women's Health (2024)

The word "douche" means to wash or soak. Douching is washing or cleaning out the inside of the vagin* with water or other mixtures of fluids. Most douches are sold in stores as prepackaged mixes of water and vinegar, baking soda, or iodine. The mixtures usually come in a bottle or bag. You squirt the douche upward through a tube or nozzle into your vagin*. The water mixture then comes back out through your vagin*.

Douching is different from washing the outside of your vagin* during a bath or shower. Rinsing the outside of your vagin* with warm water will not harm your vagin*. But, douching can lead to many different health problems.

Most doctors recommend that women do not douche.

In the United States, almost one in five women 15 to 44 years old douche.

More African-American and Hispanic women douche than white women.2Douching is also common in teens of all races and ethnicities.3,4

Studies have not found any health benefit to douching. But, studies have found that douching is linked to many health problems.

Most doctors recommend that women do not douche. Douching can change the necessary balance of vagin*l flora (bacteria that live in the vagin*) and natural acidity in a healthy vagin*.

A healthy vagin* has good and harmful bacteria. The balance of bacteria helps maintain an acidic environment. The acidic environment protects the vagin* from infections or irritation.

Douching can cause an overgrowth of harmful bacteria. This can lead to ayeast infectionorbacterial vaginosis. If you already have a vagin*l infection, douching can push the bacteria causing the infection up into theuterus,fallopian tubes, andovaries. This can lead topelvic inflammatory disease, a serious health problem.

Douching is alsolinked to other health problems.

Health problems linked to douching include:5

• Bacterial vaginosis (BV), which is an infection in the vagin*. Women who douche often (once a week) are five times more likely to develop BV than women who do not douche.6
• Pelvic inflammatory disease, an infection in the reproductive organs that is often caused by anSTI
• Problems during pregnancy, including preterm birth and ectopic pregnancy
• STIs, including HIV
• vagin*l irritation or dryness

Researchers are studying whether douching causes these problems or whether women at higher risk for these health problems are more likely to douche.

No. You should not douche to try to get rid of vagin*l odor or other vagin*l problems like discharge, pain, itching, or burning.

Douching will only cover up odor for a short time and will make other problems worse. Call your doctor or nurse if you have:

• vagin*l discharge that smells bad
• vagin*l itching and thick, white, or yellowish-green discharge with or without an odor
• Burning, redness, and swelling in or around the vagin*
• Pain when urinating
• Pain or discomfort during sex

These may be signs of a vagin*l infection, or an STI. Do not douche before seeing your doctor or nurse. This can make it hard for the doctor or nurse to find out what may be wrong.

No. Doctors recommend that women do not douche. You do not need to douche to clean your vagin*. Your body naturally flushes out and cleans your vagin*. Any strong odor or irritation usually means something is wrong.

Douching also can raise your chances of a vagin*l infection or an STI. If you have questions or concerns, talk to your doctor.

It is best to let your vagin* clean itself. The vagin* cleans itself naturally by making mucous. The mucous washes away blood, sem*n, and vagin*l discharge.

If you are worried about vagin*l odor, talk to your doctor or nurse. But you should know that even healthy, clean vagin*s have a mild odor that changes throughout the day. Physical activity also can give your vagin* a stronger, muskier scent, but this is still normal.

Keep your vagin* clean and healthy by:

• Washing the outside of your vagin* with warm water when you bathe. Some women also use mild soaps. But, if you have sensitive skin or any current vagin*l infections, even mild soaps can cause dryness and irritation.
• Avoiding scented tampons, pads, powders, and sprays. These products may increase your chances of getting a vagin*l infection.

No. Douching removes some of the normal bacteria in the vagin* that protect you from infection. This can increase your risk of getting STIs, including HIV. Douching also does not protect against pregnancy.

If you had sex without using protection or if the condom broke during sex, see a doctor right away. You can get medicine to help prevent HIV and unwanted pregnancy.

No. Douchingdoes notprevent pregnancy. It should never be used for birth control. If you had sex without using birth control or if your birth control method did not work correctly (failed), you can useemergency contraceptionto keep from getting pregnant.

If you need birth control, talk to your doctor or nurse about which type ofbirth control methodis best for you.

Douching can make it harder to get pregnant and can cause problems during pregnancy:

• Trouble getting pregnant.Women who douched at least once a month had a harder time getting pregnant than those women who did not douche.7
• Higher risk of ectopic pregnancy.Douching may increase a woman's chance of damaged fallopian tubes andectopic pregnancy. Ectopic pregnancy is when the fertilized egg attaches to the inside of the fallopian tube instead of the uterus. If left untreated, ectopic pregnancy can be life-threatening. It can also make it hard for a woman to get pregnant in the future.
• Higher risk of early childbirth.Douching raises your risk for premature birth. One study found that women who douched during pregnancy were more likely to deliver their babies early.8This raises the risk for health problems for you and your baby.

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2015).Key Statistics from the National Survey of Family Growth.
2. Chandra, A., Martinez, G., Mosher, W., Abma, J., & Jones, J. (2005).Fertility, family planning, and reproductive health of U.S. women: Data from the 2002 National Survey of Family Growth.Vital Health Statistics;23(25), 1–160.
3. Ott, M.A., Ofner, S.O., Fortenberry, J.D. (2009).Beyond Douching: Use of Feminine Hygiene Products and STI Risk among Young Women.Journal of Sexual Medicine;6: 1335–1340.
4. Markham, C.M., Tortolero, S.R., Addy, R.C., Baumler, E.R., McKirahan, N.K., Escobar-Chaves, S.L., et al. (2007).Factors Associated with Frequent vagin*l Douching Among Alternative School Youth.Journal of Adolescent Health;41(5): 509–512.
5. Ness, R.B., et al. (2002).Douching in relation to bacterial vaginosis, lactobacilli, and facultative bacteria in the vagin*.Obstet Gynecol;100:765–72.
6. Allsworth, J., & Peipert, J. (2007).Prevalence of bacterial vaginosis: 2001-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data.Obstetrics and Gynecology;109(1), 114–120.
7. Baird, D.D., et al. (1996).vagin*l douching and reduced fertility.American Journal of Public Health;86(6): 844–50.
8. Misra, D. P., & Trabert, B. (2007).vagin*l douching and risk of preterm birth among African American women.American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology;196(2), 140 e141–140 e148.