Douching practices among women in the Bolgatanga municipality of the upper east region of Ghana

Florence Assibi Ziba,Michele Flynch,Vida Nyagre Yakong,Keville Frederickson,Rockson Asaan Asore

doi:10.1186/s12905-019-0720-7

Florence Assibi Ziba, Michele Flynch + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-019-0720-7

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Abstract

BackgroundVaginal douching is a common practice among women all over the world. Women douche for various reasons, despite evidence indicating the harmful health effects of the practice. There is lack of data on the practice in Ghana but health behaviors like vaginal douching may be influenced by differences in culture and geography. Therefore, this study sought to assess prevalence and predictors of vaginal douching practices among women of the Bolgatanga Municipality of Ghana.MethodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted among 200 women from January to March 2016.ResultsSixty-seven percent of the women practiced vaginal douching, from which a similar proportion did it daily. Over two-thirds (67.7%) of the women used water for douching. The reasons for douching were cleansing the vagina (67.7%), therapeutic effects (12.8%) and tightening of the vaginal muscles (19.5%). The majority (87.2%) of women who douched were unaware of the harmful health effects associated with the practice. The educational level of the women (p = 0.025) and having knowledge of the dangers associated with douching (p < 0.001) were then significantly associated with douching practices.ConclusionVaginal douching is commonly practiced by women in the Bolgatanga Municipality. Most of these women douche because they did not know that there are health problems associated with the practice. Health education on the issues of women health is very vital for the improvement of women’s health.

Highlights

Vaginal douching is a common practice among women all over the world
Vagina douching (VD) is the process of rinsing the vagina by introducing different kinds of fluids for the purpose of hygiene or therapeutic or contraception [1, 2]. This is a common practice among women all over the world dating back to many centuries with a prevalence of 25% among more developed countries such as Canada and the US to over 90% in less developed countries such as Zambia and Ghana [3, 4]
A qualitative study examined douching practices among Turkish women reported a connection between douching with water and genital and vaginal infections [10]

Summary

Introduction

Vaginal douching is a common practice among women all over the world. Women douche for various reasons, despite evidence indicating the harmful health effects of the practice. Vagina douching (VD) is the process of rinsing the vagina by introducing different kinds of fluids for the purpose of hygiene or therapeutic or contraception [1, 2]. This is a common practice among women all over the world dating back to many centuries with a prevalence of 25% among more developed countries such as Canada and the US to over 90% in less developed countries such as Zambia and Ghana [3, 4]. Water is the most commonly used product for the practice of douching among women in Ghana [9]. Other complications related to the physical effects of the pressure created by douching, include ectopic pregnancy, preterm labor, low birth weight and infertility [12,13,14,15,16]

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Conclusion