This MedLibrary.org supplementary page on Vaginal fluid is provided directly from the open source Wikipedia as a service to our readers. Please see the note below on authorship of this content, as well as the Wikipedia usage guidelines. To search for other content from our encyclopedia supplement, please use the form below:
Related Sponsors
Vaginal lubrication is the naturally produced lubricating fluid that reduces friction during sexual intercourse. It is typically produced with women's sexual arousal, but also can be produced when there is no arousal. While plasma seepage from vaginal walls due to vascular engorgement is considered to be the chief lubrication source, the Bartholin's glands, located slightly below and to the left and right of the introitus (opening of the vagina), also secrete mucus to augment vaginal-wall secretions.
Vaginal dryness is the condition in which this lubrication is insufficient.
Contents |
Composition
The lubrication fluid contains water, pyridine, squalene, urea, acetic acid, lactic acid, complex alcohols and glycols, ketones, and aldehydes.[1] The fluid is typically clear and more resembling of male pre-ejaculate than male ejaculate. It can vary in consistency, texture, color, and odor, depending on sexual arousal, the time of the menstrual cycle, the presence of an infection, genetic factors and diet.
Vaginal fluid is slightly acidic and can become more acidic with certain sexually transmitted diseases. The normal pH of vaginal fluid is between 3.8 and 4.5,[2][3] whereas male semen is typically between 7.2 and 8.0 (a neutral substance has a pH of 7.0)[4].
Changes in vaginal lubrication
Certain medications, including some over-the-counter antihistamines, as well as life events such as pregnancy, lactation, menopause, aging or diseases such as diabetes, will inhibit lubrication. Medicines with anticholinergic or sympathomimetic effects will dry out the "mucosal" or wet tissues of the vagina. Such medicines include many common drugs for allergic, cardiovascular, psychiatric, and other medical conditions.
Role in disease transmission
Safe sex educators warn that the vaginal fluids of a woman who is infected with HIV or other STDs can transmit the disease, even in the absence of direct penile-vaginal sexual intercourse, so direct contact is discouraged.citation needed
Artificial lubrication
When natural lubrication is insufficient, penetrative intercourse may be uncomfortable or painful. A personal lubricant applied to the vaginal opening and/or the penis can prevent this discomfort. More rarely, a vaginal suppository may be inserted prior to intercourse.
Oil-based lubricants can weaken latex and reduce the effectiveness of condoms, latex gloves, or dental dams as either forms of birth control or for protection from sexually transmitted diseases, so water- or silicone-based lubricants are often used instead.
References
- ^ "The-Clitoris.com: Female Body Fluids". Retrieved on 2007-10-22.
- ^ "Device and Method for Identifying and Treating Vaginal Affections". Retrieved on 2007-10-18.
- ^ Moses, Scott, MD (2000). "Vaginal Fluid pH". Family Practice Notebook, LLC. Retrieved on 2007-02-04.
- ^ "SEMEN ANALYSIS". Retrieved on 2007-10-18.
External links
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Wikipedia content modification information:
- This page was last modified on 30 September 2008, at 18:22.
Wikipedia Authorship and Review
Wikipedia content provided here is not reviewed directly by MedLibrary.org. Wikipedia content is authored by an open community of volunteers and is not produced by or in any way affiliated with MedLibrary.org.
Wikipedia Usage Guidelines
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article on "Vaginal fluid".
The URL for this specific entry is:
All Wikipedia text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License. (See Copyrights for details). Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.