Vaginal Douche

Vaginal douching is the process of intra-vaginal cleansing with a liquid solution. It can be used for personal hygiene, aesthetic reasons, preventing or treating an infection, cleansing after menstruation/sex, to prevent pregnancy.

Advantages

• Helps to maintain hygiene and prevents bad odour
• Prevents and treats vaginal symptoms such as burning, irritation and discharge

Disadvantages  

It has been associated with increased chances of developing pelvic inflammatory disease, bacterial vaginosis, cervical cancer, low birth weight, preterm birth, human immunodeficiency virus transmission, sexually transmitted diseases, ectopic pregnancy, recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis, and infertility.

Spermicidal agents kill the sperm before they gain access to the cervical canal. They are available as foam tablets, soluble pessaries, creams, jellies or as films along with other contraceptives such as the diaphragm, occlusive cervical cap and condom. The spermicidal agent remains effective for 1-2 hours after the application in the vagina.

Advantages

• When used in combination with a mechanical barrier method, they give a reliable contraceptive method.
• The use of condoms with spermicidal agents and postcoital agents as back-up technique is effective in avoiding pregnancy.

Disadvantages

• Used alone; failure rate is high.
• By causing irritation and abrasions with chronic use, they can cause vaginal ulceration and perhaps increase the risk of HIV spread rather than preventing it (therefore they are not recommended to HIV couples)