One may assume that douching is not as common in 2015, but nearly one in four women between the ages 15 and 44 still douche today, according to WomensHealth.gov. Furthermore, Black and Latina women are more likely to douche compared to white women.
Although douching may seem like the clean thing to do, the reality is that douching can lead to serious health problems and most doctors don’t recommend it. Some of the risks associated with douching include UTIs, yeast infections and cervical cancer, but a new study published in the journal Environmental Health suggests that women who douche could be exposing themselves to harmful chemicals known as phthalates.