Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine the association between the habit of vaginal douching and the risk of preterm birth.
Patients and methods: women who delivered in the GYN/OBST Department of Sohag University Hospital in the period from December 2008 to June 2009 were enrolled in a case-control study. Women who delivered a live preterm singleton infant were assigned (288) as cases, while those who delivered at term were assigned as control subjects (593). All subjects filled a questionnaire which, included data about demographic characteristics, obstetric history, and risk factors for preterm birth. Subjects were asked whether they ever douched in their lifetime and, if so, when they last douched, how often they douched, duration of douching and the materials used for douching.
Results: approximately 70% of women enrolled in the study reported ever douching. Douching during pregnancy and within 6 months before pregnancy, but not during the index pregnancy (recent douching) were significantly more common among cases than controls (P = <0.05). Women who reported recent douching, and douching during the pregnancy were at higher risk of delivering preterm than women who reported never douching (OR, 1.26 ; 95% CI, 1.17-1.46) and (OR, 1.42 ; 95% CI, 1.29-1.86), respectively. Compared with women who reported never douching , women who reported ever douching, but not in the 6 months before delivery (previous douching), were no more or less likely to deliver preterm (OR, 1.09 ; CI 0.88-1.25). Whatever, the douching frequency, duration or the materials used, there was increased risk of preterm birth among women who practiced vaginal douching during pregnancy, or in the 6 months before pregnancy.
Conclusion: vaginal douching, during pregnancy and within the 6 months before pregnancy, is associated with increased risk of preterm labor.