By Gabriel Olawale

Women who indulged in multiple sex partners have been urged to desist from the practice as studies have linked the act to incraesing risks of vaginal infection.

A renowned Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, Military Hospital, Ikoyi, Lagos, Dr. Chukwuemeka Odeigha, who gave the warning in Lagos also advised women to desist from washing their vagina with soap and antiseptics, saying “it can cause vaginal acidity, giving room for infection.”

The expert, who spoke in Lagos at a meeting of the Society of Gynaecology and Obstetrics of Nigeria, SOGON where – Klovinal was endorsed for the empirical treatment of vagnitis (vaginal infection), 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.

Odeigha said that the common habit of washing the vaginal with soap, detergent and antiseptic, uses of certain contraceptives and condom with spermicides, including having multiple sexual partners among others exposes women to vaginal infections.

Speaking further, the expert noted that 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. He added that every woman has normal vaginal discharge, which is expected to be clear, scanty, odourless and not associated with itching.

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 of tight clothes, as these could cause vaginal infection as much as enabling the breeding of candidiasis which leads to vaginal infection.

“But the implication is that while trying to wash the vagina off its discharge, the normal bacteria-lactobacillus is wiped off. Once the bacteria- lactobacillus is off, the acidity increases and the pH of the vagina is reduced and becomes suitable for other organisms to thrive.

Odeigha who called for more awareness said that many do not know that vaginal is a self-cleaning organ, and that it does not need to be washed with soap or douche for it to be clean.

Recommendation

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

Klovinal is a good product as it treats the causes of vaginitis and its also able to restore the balance in the vaginal, hereby preventing further reoccurrence of the infection. So, these and many more are what Klovinal does and I have been using it for sometimes now with good results,” Odeigha said.

Also speaking at the event, Area Manager of Seagreen Pharmaceuticals Limited, Pharm. Aje Akinyele, noted that 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.