Keeping yourself clean and hygienic should be your utmost priority to lead a healthy life. Bacterial Vaginosis is an infectious disease that is generally caused due to poor hygiene that leads to the accumulation of bacteria in the vaginal region. There might not be some immediate effects of this bacterial accu,ilation, but the symptoms tend to get worse with time and create even more complications. As it is better to prevent a disease and stop it from occurring well in advance so that one does not have to go through the pain and discomfort caused, it is better to keep yourself clean and hygienic and prevent this condition. Here are 3 tips that you need to keep in mind and follow in order to prevent this condition of Bacterial Vaginosis and avoid the discomfort caused due to it.
What is Bacterial Vaginosis?
One of the most common causes of vaginal infection, bacterial vaginosis is also known as vaginal bacteriosis which is most commonly observed in women in their childbearing age. Where this condition is not considered to be a sexually transmitted infection itself, it can increase a woman's risk of getting infected with an STI. Where these infectious diseases might or might not come with symptoms in some women, some of the common signs of this condition are a watery vginal discharge, strong and unpleasant vaginal smell and white colored discharge. A few women might also have symptoms such as burning pee and itching in the vaginal region.
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Where this itching and vaginal discharge are not the only discomforts caused due to the condition Bacterial Vaginosis, it can also lead to some serious complications such as post surgical infection, HIV, herpes, tubal factor infertility, STIs, inflamed fetus membrane, preterm delivery and inflammation in the uterus lining.
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Ways to Prevent Bacterial Vaginosis
As by now you know everything about Bacterial Vaginosis and the complications it can lead to, here are 5 tips that can prevent the occurrence of bacterial vaginosis-
#1. Hygiene
Maintaining proper hygiene can take you a long way in keeping yourself healthy and can help in preventing various conditions. Where bathing everyday and keeping ourselves clean helps in managing overall hygiene of our body, it is equally important to keep our vaginas clean and hygienic. In order to keep your vagina and the surrounding area clean and free from bacteria, make sure that you wipe the area from front to back. Doing so will help you in altering bacteria from that region and prevent its accumulation.
Apart from this make sure that you are engaging yourself in light exercises or are taking a shower post workout. As after workout the sweat gets trapped in the vaginal region and leads to the accumulation of bacteria. Taking a shower post workout can help you to keep your vagina clean and fresh and prevent the accumulation of bacterial vaginosis causing bacteria.
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Another aspect which needs to be taken care of when we talk about vaginal hygiene is your menstrual cycle. In order to maintain good vaginal health, it is important to use unscented tampons and sanitary pads and change them after regular intervals. Leaving them on for a long duration cam increases the chances of bacterial growth and inflammation.
#2. Safe Sex
It has been observed that women who are sexually active are at a higher risk of getting infected by bacterial vaginosis then those who are sexually inactive even when bacterial vaginosis is not a sexually transmitted infection. Where condoms are said to be one of the best and safest form of birth control present out there, you would be quite surprised to know that it is not just the unwanted pregnancies that it can prevent but comes with other benefits as well. Apart from stopping unwanted pregnancies and preventing sexually transmitted diseases, the use of condoms can help in prevention of bacterial vaginosis.
Where the use of condoms can help in preventing bacterial vaginosis, the use of flavoured condoms and lubricants can actually worsen this condition. Aa these products consist of sugar and chemical substances, they tend to alter the pH level of the vagina. To be on the safer side it is suggested to use water based plain lubricants and unflavoured condoms.
#3. Avoid
Sometimes it is important to look into the things that you need to avoid and practices that you need to discontinue in order to prevent certain conditions. This stands true even in the case of bacterial vaginosis as there are a few things that you need to avoid using to prevent this bacterial infection. First and foremost, discontinue the use of feminine hygiene products such as sprays, wash, scented soaps and powders.
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These products have a high amount of chemicals and scents present in them. The presence of these fragrances can lead to irritation and itching in the vaginal region as it changes the natural pH levels of vagina. Instead of using these chemical based scented products, one must use plain water to cleanse the vagina as it would not disturb the pH levels and will also help in eliminating the bacteria.