FOOD, flower, fanny...
Forget whatever nickname you have for your vagina, because we’re about to get scientific about the passage that connects your uterus to the outside. Not to be confused with the vulva – your external genitals – this vital organ is finally seeing scientists sit up and take notice. It’s home to billions of bacteria that can leave you burning, itching or whiffy down there if the delicate balance is disrupted.
Up to half of women will get a UTI in their lifetime*, 75% will experience thrush**, while bacterial vaginosis (BV) – which causes discharge with a fishy odour – is prevalent in almost a third of women, with some showing no symptoms.* A new wave of products – from probiotics to specially formulated serums, lubes and period pants – aim to prevent these conditions (and the endless trips to the pharmacy) by helping to maintain the harmony of the vaginal microbiome. “The scientific evidence relating to the importance of the vaginal microbiome is robust in many areas.
However, there are still significant gaps, which ongoing research will hopefully continue to fill,” says Tracey Sainsbury, a fertility counsellor and ambassador for Femme Health. While the vagina is complicated and fairly misunderstood (much like its owner), there are some hygiene basics all women should know..
. A normal vaginal pH is between 3.8 and 5 – moderately acidic to prevent overgrowth of unwanted bugs and fungi.
“Your vagina has specific lactobacilli to lower t.
