Abnormal vaginal discharge (AVD), a common but often neglected reproductive health concern, is increasingly being linked to infertility and other serious complications among women of reproductive age in Nigeria.

In a new study, researchers warned that when left untreated, the condition can progress to pelvic inflammatory disease, ectopic pregnancy and long-term infertility, posing a major threat to women’s reproductive futures.

Published in the International Journal of Reproduction, Contraception, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, the researchers found that the prevalence of AVD stood at 42.1 per cent in Ibadan, with many affected women failing to seek medical care due to misconceptions, financial constraints and stigma surrounding reproductive health issues.

The researchers included Lacane Bampoque of the Pan African University Life and Earth Sciences Institute (including Health and Agriculture), Ibadan, as well as Dr Timothy Oluwasola and Professor Akin-Tunde Odukogbe, both at the University of Ibadan, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria.

Abnormal vaginal discharge is not a disease in itself, but delayed treatment, poor genital hygiene practices, risky sexual behaviours and cultural barriers are combining to worsen reproductive health outcomes for women.

The study, conducted among 366 women aged 18 to 49 years, reported that nearly 60 per cent (59.2 per cent) of women who experienced AVD never sought medical treatment because many believed the condition was “normal”, while others cited lack of funds, embarrassment, fear of stigma or discomfort discussing intimate symptoms with healthcare providers.

They found a wide variation in genital hygiene practices among women in Ibadan, with most respondents (90.2 per cent) reporting using water to clean their genital area, only 21.3 per cent using soap and just 4.4 per cent relying on feminine hygiene products. A small number reported using antiseptics, wipes or traditional solutions such as clove water.

Although over 60 per cent of participants said they had received some education on genital hygiene, mainly through the internet, health centres or educational programmes, an overwhelming 85 per cent expressed interest in receiving further education, pointing to gaps in both knowledge and access to reliable information.

While more than half of the women were sexually active, only 41 per cent reported using contraception, and just 27.1 per cent used it consistently, indicating that sexual behaviour is also a major contributor to the high prevalence of AVD.

In addition, nearly one-third (32.5 per cent) admitted to engaging in unprotected sex with partners whose sexual history they were unsure of, significantly increasing the risk of STIs that commonly present with abnormal vaginal discharge.

Nearly one in four women (23.2 per cent) reported that the condition negatively affected their intimate relationships, contributing to emotional distress, discomfort and reduced self-esteem, suggesting that the effects of AVD extended beyond physical health.

Moreover, although many respondents were sexually active, consistent contraceptive use was low, and a sizeable number admitted to engaging in unprotected sex with partners whose sexual history they did not know, pointing to increased exposure to sexually transmitted infections, a leading cause of abnormal vaginal discharge and infertility.

They argue that abnormal vaginal discharge poses a significant but preventable risk to women’s general health and fertility, requiring immediate public health initiatives focused on promoting safer sexual behaviours, educating people about genital hygiene, and expanding access to affordable, stigma-free medical care.

The authors declared the need to address myths, cultural barriers, and healthcare access difficulties in order to reduce the burden of AVD and avoid infertility and other long-term reproductive illnesses among women in Ibadan and throughout Nigeria. (Nigerian Tribune)