Why Vaginal Health Is Important and Why You Should Not Be Embarrassed About It

​While even in this modern age it remains a taboo, vaginal health is an extremely crucial aspect in maintaining a woman’s overall health.  Your vagina, like any other body part, is subject to various infections and problems. Many factors such as clothing, diet, exercise, medications, or even increased stress can lead to problems down there. 

What is a Healthy Vagina?
A healthy vagina tends to be more acidic. This helps maintain a healthy environment that fosters the growth of good bacteria called lactobacilli. Moreover, this also encourages normal vaginal secretions. Lactobacilli are great for helping fight off bad microorganisms, helping your vagina maintain a pH level of 4.5 or less. 

Factors that Affect the Health of Your Vagina
In order to be healthy, the pH balance of your vagina should be more acidic. However, there are many different factors that can disrupt the pH balance of your vagina, leading to a negative impact on its health. Some of those factors are as follows: 

• Periods 
• Tampons and pads
• Intercourse 
• Hygiene soaps 
• Perfumes
• Stress
• Hormonal changes in pregnancy
• Menopause 
• Loss of estrogen to the vagina

Why is Vaginal Health Important?
Here are a few reasons why you need to maintain normal pH levels to keep your vagina healthy. 

To Prevent Vaginal Infections and Diseases
When the pH levels of your vagina get too high, it results in an overgrowth of bacteria. This leads to a weird odor or smell, vaginal irritation, and gray, watery discharge known as bacterial vaginosis. Moreover, you can also experience a vaginal yeast infection due to various other factors including itching, vaginal irritations, and a white clumpy discharge.
These diseases can impact your overall health and wellbeing. Therefore, you should make sure that you keep your vagina clean and healthy. 

To Maintain a Good Sex Life
Good vaginal health is vital for maintaining a good sex life. Bad vaginal health such as abnormal vaginal discharge or a weird fishy smell can make you lose your self-confidence, keeping you from getting intimate with your partner. 

Why Should You Not Be Embarrassed About Your Vaginal Health?
Talking about sex organs has been a taboo for the longest time, which needs to change in today’s era. Your vagina, just like any other body part, deserves proper care and attention. There is nothing to be embarrassed about when talking about your vaginal health as it can lead to severe problems such as serious infections that can last you a lifetime. Moreover, if you are too shy at informing your gynecologist about your vaginal issues, they will never be able to diagnose serious problems such as cervical cancer in case you are suffering from them. 

All in all, it is crucial for you to make efforts to maintain normal pH levels for a healthy vagina. Moreover, don’t be shy or embarrassed to confide in your gynecologist about any symptoms you are  experiencing to prevent vaginal infections and diseases.