A gynaecologist, Prosper Igboeli, has warned women not to abuse antibiotic drugs, saying it can cause offensive vaginal odour.

Mr Igboeli, who runs a fertility and IVF centre, also noted that women that stopped using oral contraceptives could experience increased vaginal discharge.

According to him, some women used to have an overgrowth of yeast after they finished antibiotic treatment, called a yeast infection. Mr Igboeli said vaginal discharge with offensive odour could cause a husband not to engage in sexual activities with the wife, triggering a marital crisis.

He disclosed that “such actions happen because the antibiotic kills the lactobacillus that stabilises the environment of the vagina.”

Mr Igboeli added, “It is actually the abuse that causes some of this thing. Normal vaginal discharge is usually white, while yellow or green discharge means an infectious process. This is usually associated with an offensive or unpleasant odour.”

He further mentioned that it was natural for mature women to have a small amount of vaginal discharge.

“The vaginal wall itself secretes some discharge, which such discharge contains glycogen (sugars) which are broken down to lactic acid. Poor hygiene of the vagina can also result in vaginal odour,’’ the gynaecologist added.

He said the most notorious virus are yeast infections (moniliasis) and trichomonas vaginalis, a flagyllate and advised women for high personal hygiene.

The doctor said that other infections like herpes progenitalis could cause severe abnormalities even on the unborn babies apart from causing severe lesions and discomfort to the mother.

(NAN)