Boric acid and pregnancy: What is it and can it be used?

Boric acid is a naturally occurring, mild acid that’s widely used in different sectors, including medicine. One of its primary use areas is gynecology. Here, boric acid is used to support vaginal health and treat issues like yeast infection, bacterial vaginosis, and others. Generally, boric acid is considered safe for vaginal use. However, there are some safety considerations.

In pregnancy, infections and fungi are rather common due to changes in vaginal pH caused by hormones. Nevertheless, boric acid and pregnancy do not go well together. Pregnant women are strongly advised against using boric acid due to its toxicity and potential risks for the child.

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When you’re pregnant, your body undergoes a significant hormonal shift. This shift can upset the normal pH balance of the vagina and allow overgrowth of fungi and bacteria, which is why issues like yeast infections and bacterial vaginosis are rather common.

Facing vaginal issues like these doesn’t only create physical discomfort and additional stress, but it can also increase the risk of pregnancy complications and birth defects. Respectively, if you notice irritation or other infection signals, you would probably start seeking a solution ASAP. And there is one well-known treatment option – boric acid.

But, does boric acid and pregnancy go well together? In this article, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about boric acid and its use, benefits, and safety considerations.

What Is Boric Acid?

Boric acid is a naturally occurring weak acid. It contains boron, oxygen, and hydrogen, and has a chemical formula H₃BO₃. The acid has a white, crystalline appearance. At the same time, boric acid is a mineral. It’s naturally found in different plants and fruits, as well as in seawater.

Boric acid has a number of useful properties, which enable its use across different sectors, such as:

• Household – Thanks to its acidity and disinfecting properties, boric acid is frequently added to cleaning products as a pH adjuster, disinfectant, and deodorizer.
• Pest Control – Thanks to its insecticide properties, boric acid is widely used as a pest control product for cockroaches, ants, fleas, and silverfish.
• Industrial – Boric acid is used in the manufacturing of household glass, fiberglass, and enamels.
• Preservation – Boric acid has strong antifungal properties, which allows using it to preserve timber against both insects and fungi. 

Boric Acid in Medicine and Gynecology

Thanks to its antiseptic and antifungal properties, boric acid has a rather broad application in medicine. It’s a common component in medical dilute solutions meant for eye care, sunburns, insect bites, wound care, rash treatment, etc.

The use in gynecology is one of the most prominent and common uses of boric acid in medicine. This compound is often included in the contents of homeopathic medicines meant for vaginal health. In particular, boric acid in the form of suppositories is commonly used for treating itching, inflammation, and abnormal discharge in vaginal yeast infections (candida), trichomoniasis, and bacterial vaginosis (BV).

What Do Boric Acid Suppositories Do?

Thanks to its acidity, boric acid suppositories are used to balance the acidity in the vagina. The vaginal environment needs to be moderately acidic. Its normal pH is between 3.8 and 5.0, which is the perfect level for protecting reproductive organs against harmful bacteria.

In the occurrence of a yeast infection or vaginal bacteriosis, the vaginal pH typically increases, which allows bacteria and fungi to overgrow. Boric acid counteracts the more alkaline, bacteria-friendly environment and restores the normal vaginal pH.

What does boric acid do exactly? Here’s a brief breakdown of its mechanism of action:

• pH restoration — Firstly, boric acid makes the vaginal environment more acidic, thus helping lower its pH.
• Bacteria growth cessation — A more acidic vaginal environment becomes less friendly to fungi and bacteria. This prevents them from overgrowing.
• Antibacterial effect — Boric acid acts as a mild antimicrobial product. It inhibits yeast and other bacteria.
• Biofilm inhibition — Lastly, boric acid prevents the formation of biofilms. These are protective layers developed in the vagina, where bacteria and fungi can hide to survive through the treatment.

As you can see, boric acid not only restores a natural vaginal pH. It also inhibits bacterial overgrowth and, most importantly, stops it from resisting the treatment.

How to Use Boric Acid for Vaginal Health

Most often, doctors prescribe boric acid suppositories to treat yeast infections and bacterial vaginosis. Typically, patients are advised to place one suppository inside their vagina every night, before going to bed. The treatment usually lasts for up to 10 days or about two weeks for recurrent yeast infections.

Also, it’s possible to use boric acid in the form of a foam or wash. However, suppositories typically offer faster symptom relief.

How Long Does It Take for a Boric Acid Suppository to Dissolve?

Boric acid suppositories are recommended to be used overnight for a reason. The thing is that they take some time to dissolve and get absorbed into the vaginal tissue. It can take 4 to 12 hours to dissolve completely, and it’s important not to remove it if it’s not fully absorbed.

How Long Does Boric Acid Take to Work?

Thanks to its strong properties, boric acid can provide significant symptom relief within the first 24 hours. That’s why it’s so actively used for treating vaginosis and infections that cause a lot of physical discomfort, such as irritation, itching, and strong odor.

However, a full treatment is usually longer. It can take up to 10 or more days, depending on the type of infection and its severity.

Boric Acid Suppositories Benefits

Boric acid isn’t the only solution used for treating infections and supporting vaginal health. In particular, some alternatives include prescription and over-the-counter antifungal medications, such as fluconazole, and topical solutions, such as clotrimazole. Still, boric acid remains one of the most common options due to its powerful action.

One of the biggest boric acid suppositories benefits is that they have been shown to work more effectively than antifungals and other alternatives. These suppositories can noticeably reduce infection symptoms in only 24 hours, providing relief. What’s even more important, boric acid can help prevent recurring infections by inhibiting biofilms.

Boric Acid Use After Menstruation: Reasons and Benefits

Although boric acid is mainly known as a prescribed treatment for yeast infections and other vaginal problems, sometimes, it’s also used as a normal vaginal health routine. In particular, it might be used after your period. The thing is that menstruation temporarily changes your vaginal environment, increasing the natural pH. Although this is a temporary shift, it takes time for the normal pH to restore, and until that happens, fungi and bacteria might have enough time to grow. This increased the risk of discharge, odor, and the development of infections.

Given everything said above, the main boric acid after period benefits include:

• Faster restoration of a normal pH balance.
• Minimization of the possibility of discomfort and irritation.
• Reduced unpleasant odor.
• Prevention of recurring infections.
• Overall vaginal health support.

Is Boric Acid Safe for Vaginas?

So, we’ve already talked about what boric acid is, how it acts, and how it can be used for vaginal health. Before we move on to exploring the topic of boric acid and pregnancy, we need to answer one more big question: Is boric acid safe for vaginas, in general?

The concerns about the safety of this compound for the gentle vaginal environment are easy to understand. It’s a chemical compound that’s widely used in pest control, household products, and manufacturing. These facts can really make it sound somewhat dangerous.

Nevertheless, boric acid has long been used for vaginal health and is generally considered safe. In most cases, it doesn’t cause serious issues. However, there are a few possible side effects, such as:

• Redness
• Irritation
• Itching
• Burning
• Watery discharge

There are a few additional considerations. Boric acid should always be kept away from children. It’s also toxic if taken orally. And it's not supposed to be used on open wounds due to toxicity.

Boric Acid and Pregnancy

Although it’s an effective and generally safe treatment option, boric acid is not considered safe for pregnant women. According to studies, the toxicity of this compound can pose potential risks to the fetus. In particular, there are records of neural tube defects and skeletal abnormalities in children whose mothers used this compound while pregnant. Due to these reasons, boric acid is classified as a reproductive toxicant and is strongly advised against using it in pregnancy.

Some safe alternatives for addressing infections and maintaining vaginal health in pregnancy include topical antifungals like clotrimazole and miconazole.

FAQ

What does boric acid do?

Boric acid is widely used in gynecology to support vaginal health. It’s known for helping restore a vaginal pH balance, stop bacteria and fungi overgrowth, and inhibit biofilms (bacterial resistance to treatment). Due to these properties, this compound is used to treat yeast infections, bacterial vaginosis, and similar problems. Typically, they come in the form of vaginal suppositories that you put inside before going to bed.

How long does boric acid take to dissolve?

Typically, boric acid suppositories take between 4 and 12 hours to dissolve and absorb into vaginal tissue. Due to this reason, it’s recommended to use them overnight.

Is it safe to use boric acid for infection treatment in pregnancy?

No. Boric acid and pregnancy don’t go well together. Studies indicate potential fetal risks of using this compound, including neural tube defects and skeletal abnormalities. If needed, pregnant women should use safe alternatives to boric acid, such as topical antifungals like clotrimazole and miconazole.

Conclusion

Facing vaginal infections is never pleasant. It can cause a lot of discomfort in normal settings and be even more alarming when you are pregnant. After all, apart from physical discomfort, there are potential risks for your child. Boric acid is known as a powerful antibacterial treatment for yeast infections, vaginosis, etc. But what about boric acid and pregnancy? 

As you now know, using this compound is prohibited in pregnancy due to potential adverse effects on a child. So if facing any infections or looking to balance your vaginal pH, it’s important to choose safe alternatives.

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