A gynaecologist has hit out at Gwyneth Paltrow for encouraging women to put jade eggs into their vaginas.

Dr Jen Gunter, from California, urged women not to read into the actress’ latest popular Goop post, insisting that these eggs can actually trigger bacterial infection or even Toxic Shock Syndrome.

Dr Gunter was responding to a blog post penned by Paltrow, in which she lauded the supposed benefits of the eggs.

In the post, titled ‘Better Sex: Jade Eggs for Your Yoni’, Gwyneth claimed that walking around or sleeping with jade eggs in your vagina can ‘increase chi, orgasms, vaginal muscle tone, hormonal balance, and feminine energy in general’.

Coincidentally, Gwyneth also sells these jade eggs in her Goop online store, and they have already sold out in the wake of her post.

This is something that greatly concerns Dr Gunter, who wrote a blog post in response, branding Paltrow’s advice as ‘the biggest load of garbage I have read…since vaginal steaming’.

“The claim that they can balance hormones is, quite simply, biologically impossible. Pelvic floor exercises can help with incontinence and even give stronger orgasms for some women, but they cannot change hormones. As for female energy? I’m a gynaecologist, and I don’t know what that is!” she wrote.

Dr Gunter went on to issue a chilling warning about the harmful effects of sleeping with these eggs in your body, in particular.

“I would like to point out that jade is porous, which could allow bacteria to get inside, and so the egg could act like a fomite [an object that carries infection].

“This is not good, in case you were wondering. It could be a risk factor for bacterial vaginosis or even the potentially deadly Toxic Shock Syndrome,” she added.

Gwyneth made sure to cover her back by advising her readers to check with a doctor before using jade eggs, and Dr Gunter jumped on the opportunity to issue some free and expert advice: ‘don’t use vaginal jade eggs’.