Esber Allahna, Turner Abigail Norris, Mopiwa Gladson, Norris Alison H
Division of Epidemiology, The Ohio State University, 1841 Neil Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, The Ohio State University, 410W. 10th Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
Sex Health. 2016 Jun;13(3):275-80. doi: 10.1071/SH15139.
Intravaginal practices (IVP) are highly prevalent and commonly performed in many countries for a variety of purposes related to genital health, hygiene and sexual pleasure. However, IVP may also have harmful side effects, including associations with bacterial vaginosis and HIV.
The prevalence and motivations for IVP among 650 women participating in the baseline survey of a community-based cohort study on sexual and reproductive health in rural Lilongwe District, Malawi, were characterised. Key variables included the type and frequency of IVP, and motivations for engaging in IVP.
Most women (95%) had engaged in IVP in the past 30 days: 88% reported internal vaginal cleansing with water only, 87% reported cleansing with soap and water, and 84% reported inserting cotton, cloth or tissue. A majority (60%) reported at least three practices. Very frequent engagement in at least one type of IVP was also common; among those who inserted cotton, cloth or tissue, 43% did so more than once a day; among those who cleansed internally with soap and water, 51% did so more than once a day. Women reported many reasons for using IVP. The most commonly reported reasons were to remove odours (91%), to remove extra moisture (58%), to prevent disease (49%), to relieve symptoms of disease (41%) and to improve sex for a partner (40%).
IVP are highly prevalent and frequently performed among these rural Malawian women. Future research should investigate the associations between IVP and sexually transmissible infection prevalence.
阴道内操作（IVP）在许多国家非常普遍，出于与生殖健康、卫生和性快感相关的各种目的而经常进行。然而，IVP也可能有有害的副作用，包括与细菌性阴道病和艾滋病毒有关联。
对参与马拉维利隆圭农村地区一项基于社区的性与生殖健康队列研究基线调查的650名女性进行了IVP的患病率及动机特征分析。关键变量包括IVP的类型和频率，以及进行IVP的动机。
大多数女性（95%）在过去30天内进行过IVP：88%报告仅用水进行阴道内部清洁，87%报告用肥皂和水清洁，84%报告插入棉花、布料或纸巾。大多数（60%）报告至少进行过三种操作。经常进行至少一种类型的IVP也很常见；在插入棉花、布料或纸巾的女性中，43%每天进行不止一次；在用肥皂和水进行内部清洁的女性中，51%每天进行不止一次。女性报告了使用IVP的许多原因。最常报告的原因是去除异味（91%）、去除多余水分（58%）、预防疾病（49%）、缓解疾病症状（41%）以及改善伴侣的性生活（40%）。
IVP在这些马拉维农村女性中非常普遍且经常进行。未来的研究应调查IVP与性传播感染患病率之间的关联。
