Are You Douching While Pregnant? You May Be Putting Your Baby At Risk
Douching was once a common way for women to keep their bodies clean. However, it has started to lose favor with OB GYN professionals because of the ways it affects your bacteria levels. In fact, it can be a problematic act if you are pregnant for a variety of reasons.
Douching May Lead To An Imbalance In Bacteria
The medical world's understanding of the various bacteria in a woman's vaginal area has increased exponentially over the last few decade or so. Doctors now understand that there are two types of bacteria present in this area. One type is good and healthy for a child's development but another type is very unhealthy and can affect their growth.
Unfortunately, douching has been shown to upset these balances and make more negative bacteria present than positive types. In this situation, a problem known as bacterial vaginosis can develop. And while this situation is actually quite common in many women, it can become a real problem for your child if it happens while you are pregnant.
How Your Baby May Be Affected
While bacterial vaginosis is not a serious problems when you aren't pregnant, it can become one when you are expecting. That's because it can affect the development of your child in several different ways. The most problematic issue it will cause is a potential for being born immature or to have a very low birth weight even if they are born on time.
These problems can affect your child's health by making them weaker or more prone to diseases after they are born. As a result, they can end up sickly or unable to maintain a healthy weight. Thankfully, you can avoid this problem by talking to your OB GYN immediately.
How An OB GYN Can Help
An OB GYN can check your bacteria levels and find out if you have a deficiency of the healthy kind. If you do, they can find an antibiotic that can manage your high levels of bad bacteria and decrease your bacterial vaginosis severity. Just as importantly, they can teach you a way of cleaning yourself that doesn't affect your bacteria levels as much and which protects your child's development.
So if you have douched recently and you are worried that you might be affecting your child's health, it is important to talk to your OB GYN immediately. They can provide treatment that will ensure that your child is born at a healthy weight and at the right time.
Visit a website like http://www.billingsclinic.com to learn more.
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