Condoms are easily one of the best inventions ever. They protect you from STIs and are an effective birth control method. But it turns out that condoms can do much more than the two primary functions that they are famous for. According to a study published in the journal PLoS One, using condoms during sex can be a great way to keep your vagina healthy. Are you wondering how? We break it down for you. Be ready to be astonished with the fact.

Sex Changes the pH Levels of the Vagina

Many studies had earlier suggested that sex messes with the pH level of your vagina. Sex makes the vagina acidic, making it difficult for the healthy bacteria to thrive. In a study performed by Beijing Friendship Hospital 164 women who used either copper IUD, birth control pills or condoms as a method of contraception were examined. The researchers found that women who used condom as a method of birth control had most amounts of lactobacilli in their vagina. Sex When You Are HIV-positive: From Oral Sex Tips to Condoms, How to Enjoy Safe Sex. 

Condom Help Healthy Bacteria Survive In the Vagina

The condom acts as a barrier that keeps the semen or the pre-ejaculate from changing the natural pH level of the vagina. This, in turn, helps the good bacteria to stick around in the vagina. A healthy level of lactobacilli in the vagina is crucial to prevent yeast infections, UTI and bacterial vaginosis. Bacterial vaginosis is a pelvic inflammatory condition that increases your chances of infertility. A healthy vagina pH can also protect you from even more acute conditions like STDs, HIV and even preterm delivery. Having Sex with Condoms Don't Guarantee Protection You from All Types of STIs; Here's What You Need to Know. 

There are also a few studies which suggest that the lactobacilli in the vagina are regulated by oestrogen. So, taking hormonal birth control pills or hormonal IUD can be another great way to keep your defences up. But as you know that the hormonal birth control pills are not for everyone, creating a protective barrier with a condom is the best thing you can do.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 13, 2020 08:00 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).