Table 2.

Association of Personal Hygienic Practices with Bacterial Vaginosis and with Douching

Characteristic	N*	Percent practicing douching	Percent with bacterial vaginosis
Frequency of showering		P=0.08	P=0.17
Less than daily	4797	45.3	42.8
Daily	8688	42.1	39.2
Frequency of bathing		P=0.07	P<0.001
Less than daily	7182	40.4	36.7
Daily	6303	46.5	44.7
Use of powder on genitals		P<0.001	P=0.003
Never	10337	39.5	39.1
Less than weekly	657	51.7	39.0
Weekly or more	2495	56.7	46.4
Use of towlette on genitals		P<0.001	P=0.26
Never	12441	42.6	40.4
Less than weekly	425	46.8	39.8
Weekly or more	622	53.6	43.1
Use of feminine hygiene spray		P<0.001	P=0.01
Never	11969	40.6	39.8
Less than weekly	381	68.3	44.6
Weekly or more	1140	62.4	46.3
Use of vaginal suppositories		P=0.003	P=0.29
No	13221	42.9	40.4
Yes	261	62.2	44.4
Use of pads or panty liners		P=0.009	P=0.24
when not menstruating
No	8793	42.1	40.0
Yes	4679	45.6	41.5
Menstrual protection		**	***
Pads only	4851	44.5	44.0
Tampons only	1960	50.8	43.1
Pads and tampons	2908	44.8	39.9
Amenorrhea	3728	36.5	34.9
Usual underwear material		P<0.001	P=0.009
Cotton	11392	41.9	39.9
Nylon	1907	51.6	44.9
Other	167	42.5	29.3
Douching frequency			P<0.001
Never	7644	-	34.9
Less than weekly	4501	-	46.7
Weekly or more often	1326	-	51.3

^*Number of study visits at which the practice was reported

^**Douching significantly less common among women experiencing amenorrhea (p<0.001), and among women experiencing menstrual periods type of menstrual protection was significantly associated with douching (p=0.008)

^***BV significantly less common among women experiencing amenorrhea (p<0.001), but among women experiencing menstrual periods type of menstrual protection was not significantly associated with BV (p=0.11)