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<\/div>\nUnderstanding what your vagina needs before and after sex could make the experience more comfortable, pleasurable and safe.<\/p>\n
In the heat of passion, it\u2019s easy to forget, but vaginal health is important, so here\u2019s what you should be doing before, during and after sex to ensure your vagina doesn\u2019t hate you.<\/p>\n
Before sex<\/strong><\/p>\n In many cases, lube can be a practical addition to sex if you need a little more slide down there, not to mention lots of people like it because it feels great. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Using vaginal lubricant can help if you experience vaginal dryness and reduce your risk of catching UTIs because the friction can irritate the bladder.<\/p>\n It\u2019s been drummed into us from our school days, but in the throes of passion, it can be easy to forget to use a condom. <\/p>\n Whether your concern is unplanned pregnancy or contracting a sexually transmitted infection (STI), using a condom is the only way to prevent both. <\/p>\n Other forms of birth control can help prevent pregnancy but will not protect you against STIs if you are having penetrative or oral sex, so don\u2019t be afraid to have a conversation with your partner about your sexual histories, and discuss using condoms to help keep your vagina healthy!<\/p>\n During sex<\/strong><\/p>\n There\u2019s not much you need to remember about keeping your vagina healthy while you\u2019re in the middle of sex \u2013 just do your thing and enjoy.<\/p>\n After<\/strong>\u00a0sex<\/strong><\/p>\n In real life, you may find yourself needing to use the bathroom soon after sex. And if you don\u2019t, you should still go. <\/p>\n It\u2019s actually quite important to urinate soon after you have penetrative sex, because, during sex, bacteria can make their way from the genitals to the urethra, and can cause a UTI. <\/p>\n Although larger studies haven\u2019t exactly proved that peeing after sex can prevent getting an infection, it certainly can\u2019t hurt! In fact, 60% of recurrent UTIs begin after sex, so it\u2019s worth a try if you can avoid that pesky burning.<\/p>\n By weeing after sex, you are flushing the bacteria out of the urethra, which can prevent any issues later on. <\/p>\n We\u2019re not talking immediately after the deed is done, but within around 30 minutes should do the trick. <\/p>\n Keep in mind that females are up to 30x more likely to get a UTI than males, so even if your partner doesn\u2019t fancy getting up to go to the loo, you still should.<\/p>\n Sometimes the vagina can feel a bit icky after sex, and some people like to \u2018douche\u2019 afterwards to feel cleaner, or because they believe it is the best way to clean inside and remove any unwanted semen if they have had unprotected sex. <\/p>\n Douching can mean different things to different people, but generally, it involves spraying water into the vagina, or even a mix of water and other ingredients or cleaning products like soap.<\/p>\n Douching, whether it\u2019s a high-pressure shower situation or a less intense method, is never the way to a clean vagina. The inside of your vagina is actually self-cleaning and doesn\u2019t need any help.<\/p>\n Douching is associated with an increased risk of many health conditions, like bacterial vaginosis, pelvic inflammatory disease, endometriosis, and even pregnancy complications.<\/p>\n With the inside taken care of, if you want to freshen up you may prefer to clean the outside of your vagina after sex.<\/p>\n Showering isn\u2019t necessary from a vaginal health perspective, but feel free to do it if you want.<\/p>\n Alternatively, a simple wipe-down will do. The best thing for this is unscented baby wipes, and remember \u2013 don\u2019t worry about the inside, just stick to the outside.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n\n