Bidet Toilet Use in Pregnancy Safe, not Linked to Premature Birth

The use of bidet toilets during pregnancy is completely safe and does not escalate the risk of preterm birth, researchers say.

Babies born before 37 weeks of gestational age are considered to be premature. Preterm birth is the leading cause of newborn deaths and the second leading cause of death among children aged below 5 in the world. In the country, more than half a million babies are born prematurely. A preterm birth can bring in many health problems for the child, including intellectual disabilities, cerebral palsy, breathing or respiratory problems, feeding or digestive problems and vision or hearing loss.

Vaginal infections like yeast and bacterial vaginosis have long been cited as some of the factors increasing the risks of premature rupture of the membranes, leading to premature contractions and birth. Many previous studies in the past have been successful in proving the link between changes in vaginal flora during pregnancy and preterm birth. Apart from that, the basin used to clean the genital and anal area after using the bidet toilet and vaginal douches (rinsing vagina with the help of a specially designed device) have been earlier found leading to an aggravation of vaginal microflora - eliminating the healthy microflora, lactobacillus species and growth of fecal bacteria. 

For the study, researchers looked at more than 1,300 mothers in Tokyo. The participants, who had given birth between 2006 and 2010, filled questionnaires related to bidet use during pregnancy, prevalence of bacterial vaginosis and birth outcomes.

A significant number of participants (63.3 percent) admitted using bidet during pregnancy. Prevalence of preterm birth was higher among non-users of bidet (16 percent) than users (15.8 percent). Researchers also couldn't find compelling data to prove the link between bidet toilet use and bacterial vaginosis, Reuters Health reported.

"Normal use of the bidet toilet by pregnant women poses no clinical health risk for preterm birth and bacterial vaginosis," the authors wrote, while concluding their study.

Findings of the study have been reported May 8 in the online issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.