Unfortunately, thrush in pregnant women occurs quite often, and although this disease is not considered dangerous, in frequent cases it is difficult to treat.
Thrush in pregnant women is a common occurrence. What is thrush and why does it appear? Thrush forms a fungus called Candida albicans. It is a natural "tenant" of the digestive and genitourinary systems in most people (both women and men), but sometimes, under the influence of some factors, it begins to multiply actively, displacing the "good" bacteria from the vagina.
Why does thrush appear in pregnant women?
During pregnancy, many changes occur in the female body, including hormonal levels. The glucose content in the mucosa rises, thereby creating a favorable environment for the multiplication of this fungus. There are many more factors that favorably affect the reproduction of Candida albicans. At the time when the required number of probiotic bacteria begins to decrease in the body, the fungus begins to behave very actively.
Some factors that contribute to an increase in the fungus in the body:
- taking antibiotics;
- the use of contraceptives;
- chlorine, fluorine;
- wearing tight synthetic underwear;
- hormonal and steroid drugs;
- abuse of coffee, tea;
- intake of synthetic vitamins;
- stress
- flavor enhancers, food coloring, preservatives;
- pesticides, fertilizers.
Symptoms
During pregnancy, the amount of discharge from the cervical canal increases - this is normal. But if these secretions become thick and at the same time resemble cottage cheese, most likely you have a thrush. Also, this condition can be accompanied by itching or burning of the genitals, which often worsens in the evening, after taking a bath.
Thrush in pregnant women is a common phenomenon, especially often it occurs in the last trimester. If you are worried about any unpleasant sensations that are similar to the symptoms of thrush - this is an occasion to quickly consult a doctor (rather than trying to self-medicate).
How does thrush affect pregnancy
Some believe that thrush does not cause any harm to health (except for unpleasant symptoms), so you can leave everything as it is. Also, sometimes expectant mothers postpone the solution to this problem "after childbirth" so as not to expose the baby to various drugs. However, this is fundamentally wrong! If a pregnant woman has thrush and does not treat it, then the fungus begins to "rise" up the birth canal and spread to all organs, thereby forming adhesions. Adhesions, in turn, can cause premature birth, especially if the pregnant woman has a weak body or if she already has a threat of miscarriage for any other reason. That's the danger of thrush during pregnancy.
There is one more unpleasant moment. When a child is born, it passes through the birth canal and can become infected with thrush, which manifests itself as white deposits in the mouth (on the tongue and cheeks). This condition is easily treated and does not pose a particular danger to the crumbs, however, while feeding the baby can transfer the infection to the breast, as a result of which the mother will have extremely painful sensations during feeding, which can turn this process into a real torture. In this case, some women are even ready to completely stop breastfeeding, but all that is needed is to cure both the mother and the baby from thrush. And then the feedings will surely improve.
Thrush in pregnant women is not a sentence. There are many ways to get rid of this disease.
Treatment
Thrush can be cured quickly enough by resorting to antifungal drugs. But since the woman is pregnant, strong drugs should not be taken (the exception is the prenatal period, when the so-called rehabilitation of the birth canal is necessary). To a large extent, almost all drugs are contraindicated during pregnancy. But the use of suppositories, such as Klion D, Livarol, Polygynax and some others, is possible in the third trimester of pregnancy and only after consulting a doctor. The gynecologist will conduct tests (smear on the flora) and if the diagnosis is confirmed, then only he will decide on the appointment of drugs, calculating the possible risk and taking into account all the nuances of pregnancy.