Factors associated with Genital Hygiene Behaviours in pregnant and non-pregnant women in Turkey

Authors

  • Seyhan Çankaya Selçuk University
  • Sema Dereli Yılmaz Selçuk University

Keywords:

Behaviour, pregnancy, genital hygiene, genital infections, women’s health

Abstract

Purpose: This descriptive study was conducted to determine the factors associated with genital hygiene behaviours in pregnant and non-pregnant women.

Method and material: Seventy pregnant women and 70 non-pregnant women, aged between 25 and 45 years, who were in the third trimester of pregnancy and presented to the Gynecology and Obstetrics Clinic at the Faculty of Medicine in Konya Province, Turkey, were included in the study. The data were gathered using a questionnaire with 26 questions designed by the researcher using the Genital Hygiene Behavior Inventory (GHBI).

Results: There was no significant difference between the GHBI scores of the pregnant and non-pregnant women (p>0.05). Therefore, both groups were combined, and it was aimed to discover the factors associated with genital hygiene behaviours more effectively. A positive correlation between the GHBI scores and the monthly income was found, whereas there was a negative correlation between the GHBI scores and age, marriage age, number of pregnancies, and birth (p<0.05). There was a significant difference between the GHBI scores and the educational status of the women and their husbands, the employment status of the women and the perceived income status (p<0.05). A statistically significant difference was found between the groups in terms of GHBI scores and the women’s pain and/or bleeding experience during sexual intercourse, vaginal douching, and training on the hygiene of the genital area (p<0.05).

Conclusion: There was no significant difference in genital hygiene behaviours between the pregnant and non-pregnant women. This may be attributed to the fact that the genital hygiene practices of women who did not have sufficient knowledge of genital hygiene before they became pregnant did not change during pregnancy. Therefore, we suggest that midwives provide both pregnant and non-pregnant women with training on genital hygiene.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Metrics

Metrics Loading ...

Author Biographies

Seyhan Çankaya, Selçuk University

Ph.D., Lecturer, Midwifery Department, Health Sciences Faculty of Selcuk University

Sema Dereli Yılmaz, Selçuk University

Assoc. Prof. Dr., Midwifery Department, Health Sciences Faculty of Selcuk University

References

Annang, L., Grimley, D. M., Hook, E. W. (2006). Vaginal douche practices among black women at risk: exploring douching prevalence reasons for douching and sexually transmitted disease infection. Sex Transm Dis, 33, 4, 215-9.

Bradshaw, C. S., Morton, A. N., Garland, S. M., Morris, M. B., Moss, L. M., Fairley, C. K. (2005). Higher-risk behavioral practices associated with bacterial vaginosis compared with vaginal candidiasis. Obstetrics & Gynecology, 106, 1, 105-14.

Cankaya, S., Ege, E. (2014). Evli kadınların genital hijyen davranışlarının ürogenital semptomlar ile ilişkisi. Turkiye Klinikleri J Nurs Sci, 6, 2, 94-101.

Chalermchockchareonkit, A., Phoethong, S., Ruangvutilert, P., Thamkhantho, M. (2013). Prevalence of positive culture of genitourinary tract microorganisms in pregnant women with presumptive preterm labor. J Med Assoc Thai, 96, 9, 1111-1118.

Cottrell, B.H. An updated review of of evidence to discourage douching. (2010). MCN Am J Matern Child Nurs, 35, 2, 102-7.

Dongre, A. R., Deshmukh, P. R., Garg, B. S. (2007). The effect of community-based health education intervention on management of menstrual hygieneamong rural Indian adolescent girls. World Health Popul, 9, 3, 48-54.

Dwyer, J. M. (2001). High-risk sexual behaviours and genital infections during pregnancy. Int Nurs Rev, 48, 4, 233-40.

Ege, E., Eryılmaz, G. (2006). Kadınlara verilen planlı eğitimin genital hijyen davranışlarına etkisi. Anadolu Hemşirelik ve Sağlık Bilimleri Dergisi, 9, 3, 8-16.

Ege, E., Timur, S., Zincir, H., Egri, M., Sunar Reeder, B. (2007). Women's douching practices and related attitudes in eastern Turkey. J Obstet Gynaecol Res, 33, 3, 353-9.

Er, S., Şirin, A. (2007). Gebelikte sağlık uygulamaları ölçeği türkçe formunun geçerlik ve güvenirlik çalışması. 5. Üreme Sağlığı ve Aile planlaması Kongresi, 19-22 June, Ankara.

Fakhri, M., Hamzehgardeshi Z., Hajikhani Golchin, N. A., Komili, A. (2012). Promoting menstrual health among persian adolescent girls from low socioeconomic backgrounds: a quasi-experimental study. BMC Public Health, 12, 193, 1-5.

Farage, M.A., Lennon, L., Ajayi, F. (2011). Products used on female genital mucosa. Curr Probl Dermatol, 40, 90-100.

Ferraro, Z. M., Boehm, K. S., Gaudet, L. M., Adamo, K. B. (2013). Counseling about gestational weight gain and healthy lifestyle during pregnancy: Canadian maternity care providers' self-evaluation. Int J Womens Health, 30, 5, 629-36.

Fonck, K., Kidula, N., Jaoko, W., Estambale, B., Claeys, P., Ndinya-Achola, J., at al. (2000). Of the vaginal discharge algorithm among pregnant and non-pregnant women in Nairobi, Kenya. Sex Transm Inf, 76, 1, 33-8.

Garg, R., Goyal, S., Gupta, S. India moves towards menstrual hygiene : subsidized sanitary napkins for rural adolescent girls-issues and challenges. (2012). Matern Child Health J. 16, 4, 767-774.

Hacialioğlu, N., Nazik, E., Kiliç, M. (2009). A descriptive study of douching practices in Turkish women. Int J Nurs Pract, 15, 2, 57-64.

Karatay, G., Özvarış, Ş. B. (2006). Bir sağlık merkezi bölgesindeki gecekondularda yaşayan kadınların genital hijyene ilişkin uygulamalarının değerlendirilmesi. C.U. Hemşirelik Yüksekokulu Dergisi, 10, 1, 7-14.

Kavlak, O., Saruhan, A., Er, S., Şen, E., Sevil, Ü. (2010). Gebelerin genital hijyen davranışlarının belirlenmesi. E.Ü. HYO Derg, 26, 1, 53-63.

Kisa, S., Taskin, L. (2009). Validity of the symptomatic approach used by nurses in diagnosing vaginal infections. J Clin Nurs, 18, 7, 1059-68.

McClelland, R. S., Ndinya-Achola, J. O., Baeten, J. M. (2006). Is vaginal washing associated with increased risk of HIV-1 acquisition?. AIDS, 20, 9, 1348-9.

Nair, M. K., Leena, M. L., Thankachi, Y., George, B., Russell, P. S. (2013). ARSH 1: Reproductive and sexual health problems of adolescents and young adults: a cross sectional community survey on knowledge, attitude and practice. Indian J Pediatr, 80, 2, 192-8.

Ocaktan, M. E., Baran, E., Akdur, R. (2010). Evaluation of habitual behavior related to genital hygiene in women living in a health care center area. Saudi Med J, 31, 11, 1251-6.

Ott, M.A., Ofner, S., Fortenberry, J.D. (2009). Beyond douching: use of feminine hygiene products and STI risk among young women. J Sex Med, 6, 5, 1335-1340.

Patel, V., Weiss, H. A., Kirkwood, B. R., Pednekar, S., Nevrekar, P., Gupte, S., at al. (2006). Common genital complaints in women: the contribution of psychosocial and infectious factors in a population-based cohort study in goa, India. Int J Epidemiol, 35, 6, 1478-85.

Plumb, J., Clayton, G. (2013). Group B streptococcus infection: risk and prevention. Pract Midwife, 16, 7, 27-30.

Polat, E., Sirekbasan, S., Yıldırım, Z., Bağdatlı, Y., Çepni, I., Çift, T., Baltalı, N. D. (2011). Comparing the occurrence of Trichomonas vaginalis infections today to ten years ago amongwomen prostitutes and gynecology and obstetrics patients in Istanbul. Turkiye Parazitol Derg, 35, 2, 68-71.

Prasad JH, Abraham S, Kurz KM, George V, Lalitha MK, John R, at al. Reproductive tract infections among young married women in tamil nadu, India. Int Fam Plan Perspect. 2005;31(2):73-82.

Ramia, S., Kobeissi, L., El Kak, F., Shamra, S., Kreidieh, K., Zurayk, H. (2012). Reproductive tract infections (RTIs) among married non-pregnant women living in a low-income suburb of Beirut, Lebanon. J Infect Dev Ctries, 17, 6, 9, 680-3.

Yasmin, S., Mukherjee, A. (2012). A cyto-epidemiological study on married women in reproductive age group (15-49 years) regarding reproductive tract infection in a rural community of West Bengal. Indian J Public Health, 56, 3, 204-9.

Downloads

Published

2015-03-13

How to Cite

Çankaya, S., & Dereli Yılmaz, S. (2015). Factors associated with Genital Hygiene Behaviours in pregnant and non-pregnant women in Turkey. Journal of Human Sciences, 12(1), 920–932. Retrieved from https://www.j-humansciences.com/ojs/index.php/IJHS/article/view/3126

Issue

Section

Medicine