The difference of Lactobacillus vaginalis normal flora bacteria on vaginal swab on women at childbearing age using Piper betle L., soap, and water as vaginal cleanser

Hygiene and body care in women including genitalia’s organ holds a very vital role due to changes in pH balance, germs infection, physical factors, and the issue of self hygiene. Soap and Piper betle L. are types of genitalia cleanser which is often used by women. Piper betle L. contains phenol and tannin which can be used to treat female organs. Phenol is proven to be able to kill bacteria effectively including killing Candida albicans and Lactobacillus flora. Soaps containing triclosan which can damage certain enzyme synthesis in a cell can kill the pathogen bacterial bacteria even also the normal flora. Normal flora that resides in the female organs function to protect the area against fungal infection and other microorganism’s invasion of mucosal tissues of the vagina. Lactobacillus vaginalis is one of the normal vaginal flora with almost 95% of the normal vaginal flora, which produces lactic acid mixed with vaginal secretions resulting in acidic conditions in the vaginal area with a pH of 3.8-4.2. The purpose of this research was to prove that there is a difference in the number of normal bacteria Lactobacillus vaginalis on vaginal swab in women at childbearing age who use Piper betle L., soap and water as cleansers. This study is a descriptive comparative research with posttest only design. The analysis used t- test with a 95% confidence interval conducted on 30 respondents who were divided into three groups. The results showed that women at childbearing age who used Piper betle L. and soaps as vaginal cleanser experienced changes in their vaginal pH, so it was proven statistically that it can significantly decrease the number of Lactobacillus vaginalis.