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Variation and predictors of vaginal douching behavior
Dawn P Misra1, Britton Trabert, Shelly Atherly-Trim
1Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of Michigan School of Public Health, 1420 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA. dmisra@umich.edu
Summary
Vaginal douching is common among African-American women, with varied frequency and techniques. Predictors include prenatal enrollment, unmet needs for time, smoking, and age over 19.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive Health
- Sociology
Background:
- Vaginal douching is a prevalent practice among women in the United States.
- Limited research exists on variations in douching practices and associated risk factors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prevalence and identify predictors of vaginal douching.
- To examine variations in douching frequency and technique.
Main Methods:
- A cohort study involving 872 African-American women in Baltimore City, Maryland, between March 2001 and July 2004.
- Data on douching and potential predictors were collected via interviews.
- Logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with douching in the six months preceding pregnancy.
Main Results:
- Nearly two-thirds of women reported ever douching, with over two-thirds of those douching in the six months prior to pregnancy.
- Significant predictors of pre-pregnancy douching included prenatal enrollment (OR, 1.80), unmet needs for time for non-essentials (OR, 1.83), smoking in the year prior to birth (OR, 1.78), and age over 19 (OR, 2.60).
- Considerable variation in douching frequency and technique was observed.
Conclusions:
- A significant heterogeneity in vaginal douching practices was identified within a cohort of low-income African-American women.
- Further research is needed to understand the independent health impacts of vaginal douching by incorporating detailed exposure and predictor data.
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