Vaginal pH Balance: Why It's Important For Your Health

 Vaginal odour has been one of my primary concern for a really long time. Recently, one of these days under quarantine, I asked my mother if she ever experienced vaginal odour because I was experiencing it a lot lately. My mother, being the kind and caring woman that she is, did not even consider that I might have an infection. She said, “Beta, it may be due to excessive work stress that you have been going through these last few days. Try to relax and have a good diet, you will be okay.” I did not have the heart to say anything to her at that moment and began to ponder over the thought. I guess, being an insufferable know it all has its own drawbacks. I am the kind of human who has to do and know everything. For a while, I did begin to think that the odour might be due to excessive work stress. I began to start working in an organized manner and thought things would turn back to normal. It was when it started to itch, I realized I was going through something I did not fully understand. I went online, checked my symptoms, found some suggestions, and then I came across the causes of excessive vaginal itching and odour. I got myself Phoenix Pads and checked my vaginal pH with the free test kit that comes along with the pack. When I tested myself and checked my result on the pH level card, I found that I had imbalanced vaginal pH level and needed to seek medical attention.

Menstrual Health 

It is true that we, as women, are never fully aware of our bodies. We aren’t even aware of what are the basic hygiene measures! Nobody wants to talk about your sufferings behind the bathroom door, right? How else were we supposed to know about things and measures and precautions and treatments when the internet wasn’t alive? It is because periods, menstruation, dates, or mahavari are considered dirty and impure, women feel uncomfortable discussing the issues; itching, dryness, and similar problems that they usually face. Menstrual health is giving them space to talk about their issues, enquire about the things happening to them; which they don’t understand, and ask questions. Inaccurate, or incomplete knowledge of menstruation can cause girls and women issues in keeping their menstrual hygiene and menstrual hygiene management.

Douching? NO THANKS!

When I came across the term douching while I was sitting with my friends a little while ago (please read it a month ago), I came to know that I am what people call ‘noob’ these days on the matter. A douche is a device, which with a jet of water helps in cleaning the inside of the body so that it can be washed; cleaned. It is done for hygiene and medical reasons. Usually, women use it to get rid of vaginal odour and believe that it assists in keeping the vagina clean. However, when I went back home and read about it, I came to know that there are fewer benefits and more setbacks of douching. From my internet surf, what I learnt was “It is important to consider vaginal cleaning but douching should not be the option!”

• Douching affects the natural balance of bacteria in the vagina.
• Change in the environment develops a favourable condition for bacteria to grow and cause infection.
• Douching, even once a week, drastically increases the chances of a woman to develop cervical cancer.
• Women who douche more than once a week face more issues in getting pregnant than women who don’t douche at all.

Odour, vaginal itching, excessive discharge of green, white, or grey colour, or the burning sensation you have when you pee are vaginal pH imbalance symptoms, resulting in vaginal infection. Bacterial Vaginosis (BV) is one of the most common types of vaginal infection. Along with yeast (candida) infection, it can cause serious damage to vaginal health. Around 75% of women of all are likely to attract one yeast infection in their lifetime, more than half of them may have two more of such infections. These infections are caused by the fungus Candida Albicans, which already co-exists with the certain commonly found bacteria like lactobacillus. Lactobacillus’s job is to prevent the overgrowth of fungus. Nonetheless, a good, healthy, and constant vaginal pH level can sure good vaginal health.

Vaginal pH

To understand vaginal pH, it is important to understand the pH balance first. So, pH balance refers to acid-base balance; the level of acids and bases in the body at which the body functions. In order to have a healthy vaginal pH balance, vaginal pH should be between 3.8 and 4.5. Lactobacilli bacteria living in the vagina secrete lactic acid and hydrogen peroxide, which gives the vagina its acidic pH level. A pH level between the suggested range helps in keeping the infection and bacteria at distance.

Fact: A study found that women, during menopause, tend to have a higher pH level, i.e. 5.3. A rise in the acidic portion of the vagina causes infections like; itching, irritation, excessive wetness/dryness whereas normal pH balance helps combat infections and odour.

Causes of unbalanced vaginal pH

Unprotected Sex!

The alkaline nature of semen increases the chances of growth of certain bacteria in the vagina.

Excessive Antibiotics!

Antibiotics not only kill the bad bacteria in the body but also adversely affects the position of good bacteria that are needed to maintain a healthy acidic vaginal pH level.

Menstrual Periods!

Due to the basic nature of menstrual blood, when the blood sits on pads and tampons, it tends to increase the pH level of the vagina

The objective of writing this piece has been to make you aware of your vaginal health and nudge you to take good care of your body’s delicate part; your vagina. Ignorance of personal hygiene causes vaginal pH imbalance. Consequently, unfavourable conditions are developed in the vagina because of ill menstrual health management, starting from a change in vaginal pH level. Phoenix Pads is the only leading brand across the nation with a pH test kit. You can test your vaginal pH for FREE with the pH test kit that comes along with Phoenix Pads. This is Phoenix Pads wanting to raise awareness and educate women about vaginal and menstrual hygiene.