Associations between Vaginal Douching Practice and Lower Genital Tract Symptoms and Menstrual Disorders among Young Women: A Search for Risk Modulating Factors | Chapter 15 | Emerging Research in Medical Sciences Vol. 1
Aim: This study assessed the associations between vaginal douching practice and the adverse reproductive tract outcomes, and the risk modulating factors among young women. Methodology: The data source was a cross-sectional population based sample of 1488 women aged 18 - 35 years in a university community. Self-administered socio-demographic and female genital hygiene practices questionnaire were used to survey the participants. Results: The overall prevalence of vaginal douching was 79.8%. Pelvic pain, vaginal itching, and vaginal discharge were significantly associated with higher odds for douching. Moreover, participants with menstrual disorders such as menorrhagia, oligomenorrhea, and inter-menstrual bleeding douche more often than those without these disorders. Early-onset, higher-frequency, and prolonged douching, as well as douching with commercial vaginal deodorant and inserting the nozzle of the douching tube inside the vagina were associated with higher rate ...