Added: 12/17/2005 |
Combination of vaginal infections and pregnancy is common todayIt is rather common that pregnant women may have vaginal discharge during pregnancy. It is also possible that an infection may cause such conditions as irritation, increased discharge and odor. Vaginal infections and pregnancy occur simultaneously rather often today. There is an opinion that the combination of vaginal infections and pregnancy is always harmful. But this opinion is not always true because most vaginal infections do not hurt the baby, they can only cause some discomfort to the mother.
Speaking about vaginal infections and pregnancy, it is possible to provide a vaginal infections review, which will point out the diseases common for the period of pregnancy.
It is a normal phenomenon if the pregnant woman has more discharge than before conceived. The discharge during pregnancy should be clear, maybe white, without any odor. The woman should not have any vulvar irritation or itching. If the discharge is of green or yellow color, if it has some odor, if there is some itching, internal or external irritation, it means the woman has vaginitis. Sometimes the cause of the infection may be unclear to the practitioner. In this case he can evaluate the vaginal secretions of the woman.
It is rather common to get a yeast infection during pregnancy. It can be explained by the fact that the pregnant woman has a high level of pregnancy hormones. Moreover, pregnant women have suppressed immune system, which is not always able to fight the infection. While getting a yeast infection, the woman may experience the increase in white thick discharge, irritation or redness of the outer vaginal lips and even severe itching.
Yeast infections usually don't travel to the uterus and do not do any harm to the baby. Vaginal infections treatment is necessary only in the case when the symptoms of the infection bother the future mother. Traditionally the treatment includes intra-vaginal medications because they cause no problems and less of this medication is absorbed into blood. Low doses of the medications seem to do no harm to the child while high doses may lead to some birth defects.
Bacterial vaginosis is another condition that may occur in combination of vaginal infections and pregnancy. The disease is usually called BV. It may be defined as the imbalance of bacteria in the vagina when bad bacteria dominate over the good lactobacilli. This condition shows itself in the fishy odor, which usually appears after the intercourse. Most women do not have any symptoms of bacterial vaginosis. The condition may be found out by the practitioner while checking the PH of vaginal secretions or while examining the discharge of the woman under the microscope.
Some years ago doctors were relaxed about BV and treated the condition only in the case when the woman had some symptoms. Recent research has shown that the condition may increase the risk of premature birth and premature membrane rupture. So, today doctors prescribe treatment if the disease is diagnosed and if the woman is at risk of giving premature childbirth.
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