Should I shave ‘down there’ before giving birth？

Having a bushy ‘down there’ is often perceived to be messy and a factor that causes a foul stench. It is true that back in the day, pregnant women did indeed get their “private region” shaved by nurses when they get admitted into the hospital for labour. That, however, was before doctors have advised against it – especially for women who have been already pregnant for 9 months. Though many women do it for cleanliness, do you know why doctors say this is something you should avoid?

Shaving may cause Infections

This is a huge concern for women who aren’t able to go through the process of natural childbirth and have to go through C-section instead, fearing that pubic hair may get in the way of the doctor making incisions. The previous practice years ago had initially encouraged women to shave before labour as doctors believed that it would decrease the chance of infections, however, the World Health Organisation has said that the evidence is conditional and women may choose either to shave or not. Clinically speaking, there isn’t much of a difference.

Malaysian medical practitioners have yet to experience any challenges with the presence of pubic hairs, as the needle is sharp enough to pierce the skin. There are no medical confirmations that will conclude that shaving before labour will cause the woman to fall ill. With that being said, for those who do it with the purpose of cleanliness and hygiene, obstetricians have said that there is no medical proof showing that there are benefits to shaving before giving birth – other than it being a woman’s preference. Typically, you can achieve cleanliness even by just using soap and water.

Is getting Waxed increasing the chance of infections?

Receiving a Brazilian wax before giving birth may not have as high of a possibility of infections as compared to getting shaved, so it can be considered to be safe. However, if the woman is receiving her wax treatment at a parlour that lacks the experience of the proper way of doing it, the possibility of infections may still be present.

There is no medical reasoning as to why you should avoid getting waxed, but the woman should be prepared that her “private region” will be very sensitive, so it is best that the technician performing the treatment be made aware of the pregnancy. Actually, in comparison to shaving, the Brazilian wax is far more effective with removing unwanted pubic hairs as it rids the woman of it around the vulva and labia, among other hard-to-shave spots.

How to remain Clean?

Grooming the hairs down below is just a matter of a woman’s preference. Is it really necessary to shave or wax before giving birth? Honestly, the answer is No – but there’s nothing wrong if it is what she wants for herself.

Should the overgrown pubic hairs be too excessive and bushy, trimming it is another suitable solution as it does not hurt your skin nor cause itchiness when it grows back again.