A healthy body and soul will serve you well throughout your life, no matter what your specific goals are. For many women, reproductive health is one aspect of general wellness that is too often ignored. Here are five steps you should take to protect your reproductive health.
1. Make Sure You Don’t Use Harsh Cleansers
When washing your private areas, never use harh soap or hard a made cleansers. These products can cause irritation and even encourage infection. Instead, use mild, unscented soap to wash your vulva, which is the exterior area of your genitals.
5 Important Ways To See Your Reproductive Health Is Well Maintained
However, if unscented soairritateson, you can use plain, warm water instead. Make sure the water is not too hot, since you don’t want to scald yourself or cause injury. Douching is unnecessary since the vagina keeps itself clean through healthy secretions and discharge.
2. Do Wear the Right Kind of Underwear
This tip is especially important for women who are prone to yeast infections. Yeast grows in damp, moist environments, which means proper ventilation is key to keeping it under control. Cotton underwear will allow your vulva to stay dry throughout the day.
Make sure your underwear is not too tight, since tightness can encourage urinary tract infections. Thongs can also increase your risk of UTIs, since the thin gusset may allow bacteria to freely travel from your anus to your urethra.
3. Try ToVisit Your Gynecologist Once In A While
You visit your general practitioner annually for checkups, but you should also make an annual appointment with your gynecologist.
At your wellness exam, your gynecologist will conduct a pelvic exam to ensure your reproductive system is in good shape. You’ll receive a Pap test to check for cervical cancer, and your doctor will perform a manual breast exam to check for signs of breast cancer. This exam is a good chance to bring up any health concerns or questions you have.
4. Make Sure You Practice Safer Sex
When you’re sexually active, you should always practice safer sex. This means having sex in ways that protect you and your partner from unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. When possible, you should use barrier methods of protection, such as condoms and dental dams. These protect against many STIs and offer protection from pregnancy. Keep in mind that some sexual practices are safer than others, so only engage in activities that carry risk that is acceptable to you.
If you would like to learn about your birth control options, ask your gynecologist at your next appointment. There are long-term birth control methods available, such as IUDs and implants, as well as methods that can be stopped at any time, such as oral birth control pills. Your doctor can prescribe the type of birth control that’s best for your goals and body.
5. Always Get Tested for Sexually Transmitted Infections
If you’re sexually active, you should get tested regularly for STIs. Your gynecologist can perform an STI test at your annual wellness exam, but you may have to request that they do so. Get tested whenever you become intimate with a new sexual partner, and request that your partner get tested as well.