Transition between generations: Vaginal douching practice and reproductive health problems

32^nd Euro Nursing and Medicare Summit

October 26-28, 2017 | Paris, France

Yurdagul Yagmur and Sidar Aytekin

Inonu University, Turkey

Scientific Tracks Abstracts: J Nurs Care

Abstract :

Vaginal douching (VD) is described as washing of vagina (reservoir) with water, water and soap or the other solutions. VD is common in cultures that define the female body, menstruation and sexual relations as dirty. There are many serious problems about reproductive health woman because of VD. According the studies; there is no decrease about the ratio of women�¢����s VD practices. This case emphasizes that VD is an important women problem which still protecting update. The researches in Turkey, it has been found that about 60% of women VD practices. The VD varies from a wide range from the variety of products used to the purpose of showering. For example material used for VD are water, soap, various mixtures prepared at home and commercial products sold on the market. The VD does not have the same meaning for each woman. It is seen that there are reasons such as hygiene, religious belief, prevention from pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections on VD practice. As long as women don�¢����t take these practices with effective and preventable methods, it is inevitable to transfer VD to the next generations as a traditional behavior. Because there are studies that mothers, peers or religious leaders are effective on encouraging of VD practice. For this reason VD practice is a complex reproductive health problem that preventable psychological, cultural and social determinants. There are health risks such as pelvic inflammatory disease, ectopic pregnancy, cervical chlamydial infections, preterm birth. The women who practice VD are more common vulvovaginal symptoms such as discharge, itching, burning and d dyspareunia. Also, VD has significant negative effects on fetal health such as intrauterine growth retardation and spontaneous abortion. The most appropriate health care professional are nurses and midwives for providing education abour the harms of VD. Because in health institutions women are more likely to meet with midwives and nurses and can communicate with them more comfortably. However, it is very difficult to change women�¢����s behaviour because that traditional practices are based on beliefs. There for VD prevention counseling should be unbiased, and appropriate to woman�¢����s age, culture, sexual preference and development level. In order to discourage VD practice; there is also need researches to the understand beliefs and reasons for VD. Key words: vaginal douching, nursing, reproductive problems

Biography :

Sidar Aytekin is student of PhD program from Ã?°nönü University Institute of Health Science. She has been working as a clinical nurse in DiyarbakÃ?±r province of Turkey since 2013.