Gynaecologist Cautions Women On Douching, Antibiotics Use

pharmacy

 – Endorses Seagreen’s Klovinal For Vaginal Infection Treatment

A gynaecologist and obstetrician with Reddington Multi-Specialist Hospital, Ikeja, Lagos, Dr Olufisayo Balogun, has urged women to desist from washing their vagina with soap and antiseptics, saying it can cause vaginal acidity, giving room for infection.

The expert, who recently spoke with journalists at a meeting of the Society of Gynaecologists and Obstetricians of Nigeria (SOGON), in Lagos, explained that the vagina is not a sterile tissue organ in the body as it has its own bacteria which are normal flora, adding that the presence of these bacteria does not indicate infection as they only serve to protect the tissue from harmful pathogens.

“In a woman of reproductive age, the ovaries are still active. The Lactobacillus makes the glycogen available in the vagina. The bacteria work on the glycogen to convert to bacil acid that brings down the pH level within the vagina. Once the acidity of the vagina increases due to the reduction of pH, the environment becomes acidic. Then the bacteria profligate,” explained Dr Balogun.

According to her, contrary to what many women think, douching, which is the use of soap or detergent and water to wash the vagina, does not make it clean;  it rather destroys the normal flora of the vagina, and thereby doing more harm than good.

Balogun further disclosed that every woman has normal vaginal discharge, which is expected to be clear, scanty, odourless and not associated with itching.

“Once there is a departure from these parameters, at any point in time, leading to the vagina being associated with odour, itching, or either coloured or profuse discharge, that is a derailment. And that is a sign of infection.  And vaginal infection has been described as the commonest gynaecological presentation by women across the county,” she said.

The gynaecologists also noted that aside from douching, women should also desist from other similarly unhealthy habits, such as indiscriminate use of antibiotics and wearing nylon underwear, as these could cause vaginal infection as much as unprotected sexual intercourse.

“As experts, we always encourage women to visit their hospitals once they have itching for proper diagnosis that will assist us to ensure we know which type of infection they have before treating it. Yeast infection treatments will not help a bacterial infection and may further irritate this uncomfortable condition,” Balogun said.

Recommending Klovinal as a trusted pessary in the treatment of vaginal infections, Balogun said this is because the pessary contains clotrimazole, metronidazole and lactobacillus spores, which are indicated for the treatment of vaginal infections – both fungal and bacterial, such as vulvovaginal candidiasis, bacterial vaginosis and Trichomonas vaginalis.

“A vaginal pessary is a plastic device that fits into your vagina to help support your uterus (womb), vagina, bladder or rectum,” Balogun explained. “In times past, we had a medication for just each infection, but the good thing about technology is improvement in pharmaceutical research that avails us with holistic treatment compared with empirical treatment. With modern technology, the type of organism responsible for an infection and its sensitivity through culture are obtained. We now have medications combined to treat these combined infection at a go. I have been using Klovinal for over three years with good results.”

Also speaking at the event, Brand Manager of Seagreen Pharmaceuticals Limited, Pharm. Chukwuma Ozoh, noted that Klovinal was developed to stand out among other similar products.

According to him, “Before its introduction into the Nigerian market, a large number of women always complained that they aren’t well treated but Klovinal has bridged that gap. It is also safe in pregnancy”

Klovinal is a brand of polyactive pessaries marketed by Seagreen Pharmaceuticals Limited. It is specially designed and formulated for the management of vaginitis due to bacteria, fungi and protozoans. It has a spectrum of antimicrobial activity that covers the three most prevalent forms of vaginitis: bacterial vaginosis, vulvovaginal candidiasis and trichomoniasis. It is therefore suitable for empirical or syndromic management of vaginitis including mixed infections.