Vaginal discharge after sexual intercourse
During sexual intercourse, the female body produces a
natural lubricant in the vagina that reduces friction and
allows you greater comfort.
When a man reaches climax and ejaculates inside his
partner, his penis releases semen (fluid consisting of
sperm and other secretions) into the vagina.
Both these substances will therefore be present in the
vagina after vaginal intercourse. If the woman moves from
a lying down to a sitting or standing position, these
substances will empty from the vagina. The discharge will
be sticky because of the natural make-up of the
secretions. The color should be whitish. This is a
totally normal occurrence after sex and absolutely
nothing to worry about.
However, should any discharge have a foul odor
associated with a fever and chills and/or itching,
contact your gynecologist immediately. This is not a
normal occurrence, and probably indicates that there is
some sort of infection.
Good hygiene following intercourse is always
recommended. Use warm water and soap to clean the vaginal
area. Maintaining good hygiene practices will reduce your
incidence of urinary tract infections and vaginal yeast
infections, which are occasionally associated with
intercourse.
Some gynecologists also recommend that women urinate
following intercourse to aid in prevention of urinary
tract infections.
Vaginal douche for personal odor, especially during
menstruation
Vaginal odor is a big concern for many women. In fact,
3 out of 10 women in the US douche regularly. It's easy
to be self-conscious about your smell. However, I would
urge you not to worry so much about your odor. How you
smell is a natural part of who you are.
More importantly, douching is dangerous.
I strongly urge you NEVER to douche. Douching products
contain chemicals that can be irritating to your vagina
and urethra. Moreover, douches kill the natural bacteria
that live in your body and help you to stay
healthy.
Therefore, douching makes you more susceptible to
vaginal infections such as bacterial vaginosis (BV),
yeast infection, and to the STD chlamydia.
Studies show that douching may also increase women's
risk of ectopic pregnancy and pelvic inflammatory disease
(PID), a condition which, if left untreated, can lead to
infertility.
That having been said, it is important for you to keep
yourself clean. Wash your vaginal area daily with warm
water and a hypoallergenic, unscented soap like Dove that
will not irritate the region. Make sure to completely
towel dry and to wipe thoroughly after using the
bathroom. Also, wear cotton underwear rather than silk or
synthetic material. Cotton allows your skin to breathe
better, which will also prevent odor from
accumulating.
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