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Housecall, our weekly general-interest e-newsletter, keeps you up to date on a wide variety of health topics with timely, reliable, practical information, recipes, blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts and more. Our biweekly topic-specific e-newsletters also include blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts, and other useful information that will help you manage your health.
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When to see a doctor
By Mayo Clinic staffIf you have persistent vaginal odor, see your doctor.
In the meantime, to minimize vaginal odor:
- Wash your external genital area. During regular baths or showers, use a very small amount of mild, unscented soap and lots of water.
- Avoid douching. All healthy vaginas contain some bacteria and other organisms. The normal acidity of the vagina keeps bacteria and yeast in check. But douching can actually upset this delicate balance.
References
- Bacterial vaginosis fact sheet. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/STD/BV/STDFact-Bacterial-Vaginosis.htm. Accessed March 3, 2009.
- Pelvic inflammatory disease fact sheet. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/std/PID/STDFact-PID.htm. Accessed March 3, 2009.
- Hillard PA. Vaginal signs and symptoms: Vaginal discharge. In: Hillard PA. The 5-minute Obstetrics and Gynecology Consult. Philadelphia, Pa.: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2008:48.
- Husain A, et al. Recto-vaginal fistula. In: Hillard PA. The 5-minute Obstetrics and Gynecology Consult. Philadelphia, Pa.: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2008:162.
