Vaginal Douching Before Pregnancy May Protect Against Preterm Birth

Vaginal douching is common in the U.S., especially among black women, with more than half of them reporting douching. Because vaginal and uterine infections are associated with preterm birth, it has been suggested that douching may increase the rate of preterm birth by propelling bacteria into the upper reproductive tract. Investigators conducted a cohort study of risk factors for preterm birth among 832 black women delivering singleton infants in Baltimore.

Almost two thirds of the women in the study reported ever douching, and of these, about two thirds douched in the 6 months just before pregnancy. The rate of preterm delivery (i.e., before the 37th completed week of gestation) was 16.4%. Women who reported douching one to three times per…