How to Balance Your Vaginal pH

Maintaining a healthy vaginal pH is essential for overall vaginal and reproductive health. When your vaginal pH is balanced—typically between 3.8 and 5.0—it helps create an environment where good bacteria thrive and unwanted bacteria struggle to grow. This natural balance helps protect you from infections and irritation.

But it’s common for your pH to shift from time to time, leading to symptoms like unusual discharge, itching, or a higher risk of infections like bacterial vaginosis (BV) or yeast infections.

The bright side? There are simple, science-backed ways to restore and maintain a healthy vaginal environment.

What Is Vaginal pH?

First up: what is vaginal pH, really? It’s just a measure of how acidic or alkaline your vagina’s environment is—a small number with a big impact on your health.

The pH scale ranges from 0-14, pH values below 7 (neutral) indicate an acidic environment, while numbers above 7 represent an alkaline environment⁽¹⁾. In the vaginal ecosystem, a healthy pH typically falls between 3.8 and 5.0 in women of childbearing age, making it moderately acidic⁽²⁾.

This acidity supports the health of the vaginal microbiome so that beneficial bacteria can thrive while inhibiting the growth of harmful microorganisms. The vaginal pH value is an important indicator of vaginal health, helping to maintain the delicate balance needed for comfort and protection against infections.

When your vaginal pH becomes unbalanced, it can disrupt this natural ecosystem. Learning how to keep vaginal pH balanced is essential for preventing discomfort and maintaining optimal vaginal health throughout different life stages and hormonal changes.

What Is a Normal Vaginal pH Level?

The body has various pH levels throughout. While blood typically has a near-neutral pH of 7.35-7.45⁽³⁾, and fasted stomach acid is highly acidic at 1.5-3.5,⁽⁴⁾ the vagina has its own specific pH range for health.

A normal vaginal pH level for women of reproductive age typically ranges between 3.8 and 5.0⁽²⁾. This moderate acidity creates an ideal environment for the beneficial bacteria that protect the vaginal ecosystem. When you understand how to balance vaginal pH, you're supporting this natural defense system against harmful microorganisms.

It's important to note that vaginal pH naturally fluctuates throughout life. For girls who have not started their period and postmenopausal women, a slightly higher pH value — sometimes above 4.5 — can be normal due to lower estrogen levels⁽²⁾. During reproductive years, estrogen helps maintain the acidic environment by promoting the production of glycogen, which beneficial Lactobacilli bacteria convert into lactic acid, which helps keep the vaginal pH low.

Learning how to keep vaginal pH balanced requires understanding these natural variations. During menstruation and pregnancy your vaginal pH may temporarily shift, and following menopause, it is common for vaginal pH to shift and become the new “normal”.

What Causes Vaginal pH Imbalance?

Vaginal pH imbalance occurs when the natural acidity of the vagina shifts outside the healthy range. Several factors can disrupt this delicate balance, making it important to understand what affects vaginal pH and how to restore it when needed.

The vaginal microbiome is essential for maintaining proper pH. Vaginal microorganisms including Lactobacilli bacteria are some of the primary stabilizers of the vaginal ecosystem. In particular Lactobacillus acidophilus can ferment glycogen (derived from vaginal mucosa) into lactic acid, releasing hydrogen ions that help create an acidic environment⁽²⁾.

This acidic environment forms a protective barrier that prevents harmful microorganisms from multiplying too quickly and causing an infection. If the balance of microorganisms becomes disrupted the vaginal ecosystem can become imbalanced, allowing other microorganisms to overgrow⁽²⁾.

Several everyday factors can disrupt your vaginal pH balance, such as:⁽²⁾

• Unprotected sexual activity: Semen has an alkaline pH, which can significantly alter vaginal pH. This elevation can persist for several hours following intercourse, leaving the vagina more vulnerable to infection.
• Antibiotics: While necessary for treating bacterial infections, antibiotics can kill both harmful and beneficial bacteria. They can rapidly alter the vaginal microbiome within just a few hours.
• Excessive cleaning or douching: Your vagina’s self-cleaning. It doesn’t need help—and harsh products can do more harm than good. Douching can rinse away protective vaginal secretions and create an unbalanced flora with abnormal pH, potentially leading to bacterial vaginosis, pelvic inflammatory disease, and other complications.
• Menstruation: Menstrual blood is slightly alkaline and can cause vaginal pH to rise temporarily.
• Hormonal changes: Variations in estrogen levels during different life stages affect vaginal pH. Estrogen stimulates glycogen production, which feeds beneficial Lactobacilli bacteria, which help maintain acidity. As a result of this, lactobacilli levels are at their highest and vaginal pH at its lowest when estrogen levels peak just prior to ovulation⁽⁵⁾.
• Scented menstrual products: Scented tampons and pads contain chemicals that can be irritating and disrupt the natural bacterial balance that maintains healthy pH levels⁽⁶⁾.

Understanding how to get your pH balance back to normal begins with identifying these potential disruptors. Maintaining a balanced vaginal pH is essential for preventing infections and supporting overall vaginal health.

What Happens When Your Vaginal pH Is Off?

When your vaginal pH balance becomes disrupted, it creates an environment where harmful microorganisms can thrive, which makes you more susceptible to infections, such as:⁽²⁾

• Bacterial vaginosis (BV): BV occurs when vaginal pH rises above 4.5. Common signs include a fishy odor accompanied by a grayish-white discharge.
• Vaginal candidiasis (yeast infection): While yeast infections typically occur at a pH around 4.0, which falls within the normal range, conditions in the vagina can alter, allowing the Candida species to multiply. Symptoms include thick, white discharge, itching, and burning. Yeast infections after sex are relatively common, although your pH may remain the same as it's always been.
• Trichomoniasis: This STI thrives in higher vaginal pH environments (5.0-6.0). Caused by a parasite, it produces a greenish-yellow frothy discharge with a foul odor.

Vaginal pH imbalance doesn't just affect vaginal health — it can impact your urinary system, too. The vaginal microbiome is a protective barrier against urinary tract infections (UTIs). When vaginal pH becomes disrupted, and Lactobacilli species decline, this protective barrier weakens, and the risk for UTIs can increase⁽⁷⁾.

How to Restore & Maintain a Healthy Vaginal pH

Understanding how to balance vaginal pH is essential for decreasing risk of infections and maintaining comfort. Here are practical strategies to restore and maintain optimal vaginal pH levels.

Use Probiotics and Supplements

Probiotics for vaginal health, particularly those containing Lactobacilli strains, can help restore beneficial bacteria. Research shows these beneficial bacteria adhere to vaginal and cervical cells, and that Lactobacilli strains can protect against pathogens responsible for vaginal and urinary tract infections⁽⁸⁾.

Consider both oral supplements and vaginal suppositories depending on your needs and healthcare provider's recommendations. They’re often used as part of a broader approach to support overall vaginal wellness.

Prioritize Good Hygiene Practices

Hygiene plays a key role in supporting vaginal and urinary health, but more isn’t always better. In fact, over-cleansing or using the wrong products can disrupt your body’s natural defenses.

Avoid scented hygiene products and douching, both of which can interfere with the vaginal microbiome by removing healthy bacteria and protective secretions⁽⁸⁾. When washing the external genital area (the vulva), opt for a gentle, pH-balanced cleanser — ideally within the range of 4.2–5.6. Harsh soaps or products with an alkaline pH can do more harm than good⁽⁹⁾.

If you're looking for a supportive option, Uqora’s Wash is a pH-balanced vulva cleanser formulated with just seven ingredients, including lactic acid and hydrogen peroxide — components already found in a healthy vaginal environment. It’s designed to gently cleanse without disrupting vaginal or urinary health.

Need something for on-the-go? Our Wipes offer a simple, gynecologist-tested option for quick refreshes, made with only six ingredients and no harsh additives.

Adjust Your Diet for Vaginal Health

What you eat can affect your vaginal microbiome. Include probiotic-rich foods like yogurt and sauerkraut to support beneficial bacteria⁽¹⁰⁾.

Practice Safe Sex

Semen’s alkaline pH can throw your vaginal balance off⁽²⁾ —consider using condoms to help keep things steady, especially if you’re prone to infections. This is especially important when you're already dealing with recurrent infections. Urinating before and after sex helps flush bacteria that might have been introduced during intercourse⁽¹⁰⁾.

Consider Your Period Care

During menstruation, change tampons and pads frequently to prevent bacterial growth. Avoid scented menstrual products, which contain chemicals that can irritate sensitive tissues and disrupt vaginal pH⁽⁶⁾.

When to See a Doctor

While learning how to balance vaginal pH at home is valuable, certain situations require professional medical attention. If something feels off—like persistent itching, burning, abnormal discharge, or pain during urination or intercourse—it’s always a good idea to check in with your healthcare provider. They’ll help figure out what’s going on and get you the right care.

These could indicate an infection or other condition requiring treatment. If you've used a vaginal pH test and found your levels outside the normal range, this doesn't automatically confirm an infection but serves as an important warning sign. The FDA notes that while abnormal pH often accompanies vaginal infections, other factors can also affect these readings⁽¹²⁾.

Regular check-ups help maintain vaginal health, even when you're not experiencing symptoms. Your healthcare provider can perform comprehensive examinations, answer questions about vaginal microbiome health, and offer personalized advice on how to get your pH balance back to normal based on your specific health history and needs.

Vaginal pH Balance FAQs

How do I test my pH level?

You can test your pH level with an at-home vaginal pH test kit. The kit includes a pH test paper that you place against the wall of your vagina for a few seconds. The kit also provides a color chart to determine your results. If your pH is above normal, a common cause is BV or trichomoniasis⁽²⁾.

However, not all vaginal infections cause changes to vaginal pH. So having a normal pH test doesn’t necessarily mean you’re infection-free⁽¹²⁾.

Can my birth control affect my vaginal pH?

Yes. Hormonal birth control methods (like the pill, patch, or ring) can influence your hormone levels, which in turn may impact vaginal pH by altering estrogen production. Lower estrogen levels can reduce lactobacilli, the bacteria that help maintain acidity(13).

Make Your Vaginal Health a Priority

Your vaginal health is worth paying attention to—and keeping your pH in check is a big part of that. Small changes can make a big difference, and if something feels off, you’re never wrong for reaching out to a healthcare provider. Your body’s complex, but support can (and should) be simple.