It is normal that the vagina has a certain odor sometimes. Whether this natural smell is neutral or not, it is a matter of personal judgment. In fact, some women notice their odor when there is no notable odor detected by their partners.
However, if the odor changes and becomes strongly unpleasant (repugnant fishy vaginal odor), this change deserves attention because it is perhaps a sign of a serious vaginal infection. Left untreated, this condition may cause not only physiologic problems but also emotional (stress) and social problems (the person feels uncomfortable thinking the odor is detected by others).
Many women believe that vaginal odor are the result of a lack of personal hygiene and wash excessively their vagina unaware that they worsen the problem. While poor genital hygiene can be the cause, excessive washing is not the solution. Very often, women hampered by a strong vaginal odor should not begin to wash themselves intensively. That does not help at all. The first thing to do should be restoring the acidity and the balance of the vaginal flora naturally. That restoration cannot be done by excessive antibiotic intake; it decreases your immune system.
Besides excessive washing, douching, tight clothes and certain chemicals (scented body washes, antibacterial soap, etc) can cause vaginal infection or yeast infections. Certain contraceptives and foreign body in vagina can provoke vaginal odor and other major health issues. Vaginal and anal intercourse alternation during the same session can cause vaginal infection resulting in vaginal odor.
These are ways you can prevent and stop these infections.
Avoid Douching, it is not necessary; it can damage or destroy the normal acidity of the vagina resulting in vaginal problems. If you suffer from ant type of vaginal infection, it is recommended to avoid wearing tight underwear and pants so that the vagina can breathe easier. Tight clothes can irritate the vagina and cause or increase vaginal odor. Wearing cotton panties is also important. If a vaginal infection persists despite treatment, you need to see a doctor because it could be a sign of Cancer of the cervix or vagina, Gonorrhea, Pelvic Inflammatory Disease, Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs), Yeast Infection, etc.
For women, after intercourse, it is important to go urinate. Urination after sex helps to remove any possible bacteria that may be outside or inside the vaginal canal that would go up in the urethra. Because once present, these microbes tend to go up into the bladder, and can cause recurrent urinary infections. Urination causes a cleansing effect, forcing the microbes outside.
There are herbal remedies formulated to be total feminine products. Not only are they designed to attack the root causes of your current bacteria but also their recurrence. Naturally, they balance the flora of your vagina. The ingredients in these remedies can assist in the re-establishment of the natural lactobacilli in your vagina and significantly boost your immune system to fight your existing condition and its recurrence.