Is it normal? Thoughts and concerns about female intimate health

It's an early Sunday morning in December and I have the kitchen to myself since the rest of the family is still asleep. I'm leaning over the kitchen counter, immersed in a gingerbread recipe, and when I look out the window, it's just starting to snow again. It's almost Christmas, and the scent of white hyacinths and orange carnations spreads throughout the house. This has always been a time of year I've loved, but this year there's a different feeling creeping up on me. In a month I'll be fifty years old and I've started to get butterflies. Like a lot. I've gone from never caring about my age to being almost fixated on this number. I can't quite get a handle on what it's really about, but it's about an increasingly noticeable menopause, but also about a lot of vanity. It's as if the woman in the mirror is no longer me, because I've always been young, haven't I? Suddenly I miss the regular body clock of menstruation that ticked reliably. Now it still visits from time to time, but it's more like a quick coffee with the neighbor that never lasts very long. With my eyes still fixed on the snowflakes slowly falling outside the window, I wonder if everything I'm feeling is normal? Because what is normal when it comes to the female body?

THE "NORMAL" FEMALE BODY

"Am I normal?" This question is asked by so many women in so many different situations and at all ages. It can be anything from questions about menstrual cycles to feelings about sex and desire or general physical concerns about the body, such as vaginal discharge, urinary tract infections and pms. Not to mention the gigantic topic of menopause or simply the need to understand our omnipresent body. What's striking is that this is as common among younger as older women, but it all boils down to one thing - the female body and all that it entails ❤

HOW COMMON ARE INTIMATE PROBLEMS

Throughout a woman's life, a number of intimate problems arise with different "symptoms" that make us question whether we are "normal". These range from fungal infections, smelly discharge caused by bacterial vaginosis, urinary tract infections and dry mucous membranes to our own approach to pleasure and orgasm. Here are some of the most common problems that clearly show that most of women's intimate problems are actually very common:

🌺 Fungal infections in the genital area: Around 75% of all women get at least one fungal infection in their lifetime, and around 40-45% get two or more fungal infections.

Read the blog about fungal infections here

🌺 Urinary incontinence: Urinary incontinence is common, especially among older women, with varying estimates, but often around 30-50% in women over 50.

🌺 Foul-smelling discharge and bacterial vaginosis: Around 30% of all women experience foul-smelling discharge caused by bacterial vaginosis during their lifetime.

Read the blog about bacterial vaginosis here

🌺 Urinary tract infections: Approximately 50-60% of all women will experience at least one urinary tract infection in their lifetime.

Read the blog about urinary tract infection here

🌺 Dry mucous membranes: Up to 70% of post-menopausal women experience dry mucous membranes, which can also affect younger women. VagiVital AktivGel is a non-sticky, Swedish hormone-free vaginal gel that relieves and cures symptoms in the intimate area such as dryness, irritation or itching in the intimate area, discomfort during intercourse or pain during urination.

VagiVital AktivGel can be found here

🌺 Vulvodynia/vestibulitis: These painful conditions in the vulva area affect up to 16% of all women during their lifetime.

Read Rebecka Kaplan Sturk's, consultant gynaecologist/obstetrician, blog about vulvodynia here

Of course, all these numbers and statistics vary depending on the source and population, but they give an overview of how common these issues actually are among women. So why do so many women still feel alone and wonder if they are "normal"? ❤

OWN YOUR BODY AND STAY ACTIVE

Maybe it's actually time we learnt to say "vulva" without blushing, and maybe all women should actually study their genitals on a regular basis? Because how can we really understand something we neither know what it looks like nor dare to name? It's not just about knowledge, but also about empowerment. Where women can empower themselves by knowing and understanding their bodies, which is the first step towards feeling confident and "normal". A "pussytive", fantastic intimate care must also include everything from foul-smelling discharge and fungal infection. Today, many women seek knowledge themselves, reading up on the respective topics, googling and listening to podcasts. The question is how much of the knowledge we actually share with each other? Or how much of our experiences are shared between generations? Women in their 50s have already experienced most of the intimate problems that the younger generation struggles with, and those who have passed menopause obviously have a lot of knowledge about, for example, menopausal problems. It's a goldmine of experiences that tell the same story. You are very much normal ❤

GOOGLE IS A WOMAN'S BEST FRIEND

The World Values Survey 2017-2022 is part of a global research study that aims to examine people's values and beliefs, how they change over time and what this means for social and political life in different countries. The study collects data on a range of topics, including economic, social, political and cultural values. In Sweden, values such as self-determination with the right and ability to make their own decisions and manage their own lives are prioritised, and self-realisation also plays a key role. This can of course also affect how women view and deal with their own intimate problems, where women may feel alone with their experiences and also hesitate to share their experiences with others, especially when it comes to intimate problems, where Google becomes the "friend" to turn to. This may be partly due to the strong emphasis on independence and personal integrity that is common in Swedish society, but it does not mean that there is no desire or need for community and sharing of experiences across generations.

KNOWLEDGE ACROSS GENERATIONS

The latest research, including from Karolinska Institutet and the University of Gothenburg, shows how important it is to have open conversations about women's health and sexuality. It's not just about physical health, but also about mental and emotional wellbeing. The research points to the importance of sharing knowledge between generations to break down taboos and misconceptions about the female body.

NEW PRODUCTS & VAGIVITAL CLUB - FOR COMMUNITY AND EXCHANGE OF EXPERIENCES

In 2024, VagiVital plans to launch many new products, and already at the beginning of next year we can reveal that we will be introducing, among other things, a self-test for menopause and a test for urinary tract infection, and that's just the beginning as we fill our portfolio with products for women that can diagnose - treat and prevent intimate hygiene problems. In addition, we will increasingly offer our subscribers exclusive offers and the opportunity to try our new products in the VagiVital Club. We also want to create a forum where women can share their experiences and also participate in exclusive webinars (sorry, I mean VAGINARS 😊) where we will offer both lectures with experts and gynaecologists as well as information on how VagiVital products can help women of all ages to maintain a healthy and pussy-friendly intimate health ❤ Here we also want to reach out and listen to our customers' needs and hear more about what their ideal intimate care looks like and what they want from VagiVital Club.

🌺 What do you want VagiVital Club to look like?

🌺What topics do you want to know more about?

🌺 Do you have any experiences you'd like to share?

Feel free to send your thoughts and suggestions to fanny.falkman-grinndal@peptonicmedical.se.

Take care of yourself and Stay Pussytive!

/Fanny

Ps. Regarding my 50th birthday crisis. I know it will pass, probably the day after my birthday, but I simply needed to share my thoughts with you ❤

VAGIVITAL

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