Feminine hygiene is an important part of your overall health as a woman. This becomes doubly important when you have a new life on board as a pregnant woman, to avoid any infections that might cause complications. Yet intimate hygiene during pregnancy doesn’t get discussed often enough. We’re here to change that.
How Pregnancy Affects Vaginal Health?
When you’re pregnant your changing hormone levels as well as the increased blood flow in the body can cause a higher amount of vaginal discharge. Most discharge is odourless and usually appears yellowish when it dries. This is harmless and shouldn’t cause you any problems. Changes in discharge or foul-smelling discharge could be indicative of a problem and must be checked by your doctor at the earliest.
Why is Hygiene Important during Pregnancy?
The vagina doubles up as the birth canal and is also a route for passage of infection into this part of the body. Which makes it a crucial player in the health of your pregnancy. Here are some common infections to watch out for:
- Yeast infections are very common during the 2nd trimester and cause your vaginal discharge to change to thin, whitish, and odd-smelling and may lead to itching. Such infections occur when the yeast and acid balance in the vagina is out of balance. They won’t endanger your pregnancy but can be very uncomfortable. But the good news is that it can be easily controlled.
- Bacterial vaginosis is another vaginal infection to watch out for - this results from an imbalance of good lactobacilli and bad bacteria. You may notice a fishy-smelling thinner than normal discharge. It could be white, green, or grey and may result in itching.
How Can I Keep My Vagina Clean During Pregnancy?
Here are some Dos’ and Don’ts for vaginal hygiene while pregnant.
- Do use a plain unperfumed intimate wash for the vulva or the outer part of the vaginal region.
- Don’t use a vaginal douche(where water is flushed up the vagina), this can flush out the good bacteria and might actually raise the risk of an infection
- Don’t wash on the inside of the vagina - it has a self-cleaning mechanism with the vaginal discharge keeping it cleansed naturally.
- Don’t wash your vaginal area with regular soaps and gels or heavily perfumed one - this wreaks havoc with the pH balance and good bacteria that keep the vagina healthy making you more susceptible to infections. This could also result in irritation to the sensitive skin in the area.
Is it Safe to Use Intimate Wash during Pregnancy?
Yes, if you choose correctly. The intimate wash for pregnant women must not contain strong perfumes and chemicals that could irritate your skin and affect the pH balance of the vagina. Look for one that is paraben and irritant-free.
A good intimate hygiene wash like the MamaXpert Intimate Wash on the other hand, actually soothes any existing irritation, gently cleansing the area near the vulva, and helps you get rid of any unpleasant odours. MamaXpert Intimate Wash contains lactic acid, which helps maintain normal vaginal pH balance between 3.5 and 4.5. MamaXpert Intimate Wash also contains tea tree oil to prevent itching, irritation & discomfort and antibacterial neem extracts which help protect against infections. It’s completely paraben-free and safe for use during pregnancy. Just lather up and apply to the external vaginal area before rinsing off with water. A simple all-in-one solution to your intimate hygiene concerns during pregnancy!
Bid vaginal odours and intimate hygiene concerns goodbye with the MamaXpert Intimate Wash . Find out more about how this feminine wash can help you through your pregnancy and beyond.