The period of bearing a child is associated with a number of physiological changes in the female body. Often expectant mothers are bothered by abundant light discharge during pregnancy. When it is natural and normal, and in which cases you need to immediately seek medical help, you will learn in our article.
Light discharge during pregnancy - causes
The volume of vaginal discharge during gestation increases markedly.
This is considered normal if they:
• familiar homogeneous consistency (liquid, semi-liquid or jelly-like);
• do not have a bad smell and any impurities;
• light, transparent or milky white.
An increase in secretions in this case is associated with an increased blood supply to the pelvic organs, an increased amount of estrogen, and other hormonal changes.
But sometimes light discharge during pregnancy indicates pathological processes.
Leakage of amniotic fluid. Suspecting a problem can be very difficult. Amniotic fluid really resembles water - transparent (sometimes a slight clouding is allowed), odorless, so it is easy to confuse it with urine or ordinary vaginal secretions. Yes, and it can leak in scanty portions, which further complicates the diagnosis.
Thrush. If the light discharge during pregnancy is more whitish in color, the consistency resembles cottage cheese, yogurt, accompanied by obsessive itching, burning of the vaginal mucosa, redness and swelling of the labia, then the cause may be thrush. This fungal infection with timely treatment does not threaten the health of the mother and fetus.
Bacterial infection. If the light discharge during pregnancy has a fetid odor, their consistency is heterogeneous (for example, peeled off by films), the color acquires a yellowish, greenish tint and / or there are inclusions of blood, pus, then the cause may be a bacterial infection. Very often, it is accompanied by painful urination, inflammation of the vaginal mucosa, severe irritation of the labia.
Light discharge during pregnancy - diagnosis
A gynecologist will help to establish the cause of the discharge after a gynecological examination and taking a smear. The latter is one of the most informative methods for diagnosing urogenital infections.
A smear is applied to the glass, stained with special solutions and examined in laboratory conditions. Different microorganisms have the ability to stain in different colors, differ in shape, size, location. Using this analysis, you can determine the status of the epithelium and identify some diseases.
But one smear is not enough to make an accurate diagnosis. Therefore, the following diagnostic tests can be additionally assigned:
• back sowing;
• PCR diagnostics, etc.
Light discharge during pregnancy - what to do?
First, consult a gynecologist. Only a specialist can reliably determine the norm or pathology of light discharge during pregnancy.
If the cause of light discharge is associated with a pathological process, for example, with a fungal or bacterial infection, it is necessary to take appropriate medications: antifungal, antiseptic or antibacterial drugs. They should be prescribed only by a qualified specialist, taking into account the gestational age, the sensitivity of microorganisms to the active substances of the drug, the clinical picture, the individual characteristics of the patient.
However, such a condition as leakage of OM can not always be detected even by an experienced doctor. OM can drip, therefore often do not cause suspicion.
If a woman wants to make sure that there is no leakage of amniotic fluid or noticed that the discharge increases with compression of the abdominal wall, sneezing, coughing, tilting, then an additional diagnostic procedure can be performed - amnestest. In terms of accuracy and reliability of results, it surpasses many diagnostic methods and gives an accurate result regardless of the duration of pregnancy. It can be carried out independently without the help of doctors. To do this, buy an amniotic fluid leak test (AmniSure) at the pharmacy.
The principle of the study is to detect a substance that is normally practically absent in the secretion of the vagina - placental alpha-1-microglobulin. For:
• insert a swab (supplied with the test) into the vagina;
• after he has absorbed natural secretions (after about 1 minute), remove and place in a test tube with a solution for 1 minute;
• Remove the swab and place the test strip in the tube.
If after 15 minutes she shows one line, then there is no damage to the fetal bladder and water leakage, two - there are. In the latter case, you must immediately seek medical help, call an ambulance to determine how much fluid was lost and whether the pathology threatens the further course of pregnancy.
Light discharge during pregnancy - how dangerous is it for an unborn baby?
If light discharge during pregnancy is not etiologically related to pathology, then do not worry. They bear no threat to either mother’s health or fetus.
If it was found that the cause of the discharge is an infectious pathogen or leakage of OM, then the health of the future baby may be at risk.
Thrush is perhaps the most harmless disease, which in most cases does not affect the fetus. But only on condition that the expectant mother begins treatment immediately after the diagnosis, and not after delivery. Otherwise, the infection may be transmitted during delivery. Then the baby is threatened by infection of the gastrointestinal tract with yeast microorganisms and, as a result, dysbiosis, frequent regurgitation, loose stools, bloating. As well as stomatitis, genital lesions. There is a version that a prolonged course of thrush leads to thinning of the walls of the fetal bladder, damage to their integrity and leakage of OM.
If the cause of the discharge is in a viral or bacterial pathogen, then the prognosis for pregnancy directly depends on the type of infectious agent and the stage of the course of the disease. In most cases, the pathology does not have a teratogenic effect, but again, it all depends on the specific microorganism. Some of them are able to penetrate the placental barrier and have a negative effect on the fetus. To avoid this, you should immediately consult a doctor if there is a suspicion of an urogenital infection.
If the cause of light discharge is leakage of OM, then the prognosis of pregnancy depends on its duration. In the early it is unfavorable, in the 2nd trimester there are chances for a successful pregnancy, but subject to timely diagnosis. At the 3rd trimester, the prognosis is most favorable, the probability of maintaining a pregnancy is high. And if leakage is detected after 38 weeks, then doctors consider it as the beginning of childbirth and prescribe either CS or stimulate natural delivery.
