Why does thrush appear during pregnancy at different stages and recommendations on how to eliminate it with pills or folk recipes. Why is thrush dangerous during pregnancy? Diagnosis and treatment Thrush in pregnant women - consequences for the child

A pregnant woman's body is susceptible to infections. Candidiasis, which is known as thrush, develops especially often. According to statistics, more than 70% of women suffer from fungal infection during pregnancy.

This is due to the fact that when carrying a baby, hormonal changes occur in the body, and the protective forces are reduced. In addition, a woman experiences stress at this time and changes her diet. This causes changes in microflora and proliferation of fungi.

As soon as a woman feels itching and notices a cheesy discharge, she needs to visit a gynecologist. The doctor will answer: is thrush dangerous during pregnancy? He will tell you how to properly treat candidiasis and what measures to take to prevent exacerbations.

The main task of the gynecologist in this case is to explain to the woman that she should not panic and worry about the baby’s health. After all, there is minimal risk for him and for the mother, especially if the treatment is carried out on time and according to the rules.

The influence of candidiasis on the course of pregnancy

Any inflammatory processes affect the woman’s condition. Mild forms of the disease can go almost unnoticed, but in many cases they complicate the course of pregnancy. Since candidiasis is a frequent companion of women at this time, gynecologists are constantly asked the question: “Does thrush affect pregnancy?” What doctors can tell you about this:

• advanced candidiasis can cause premature birth or threatened miscarriage;
• it can cause inflammation of the placenta or postpartum infections of the birth canal;
• The amniotic fluid may break earlier, which will negatively affect the baby.

How does the disease affect a woman’s health?

How dangerous is thrush during pregnancy for the mother? Although candidiasis does not cause serious complications, inflammatory diseases of the uterus may develop during the postpartum period. Damage to the genital organs and disruption of the vaginal microflora leads to the appearance of ruptures during childbirth, and then adhesions form.

In addition, candidiasis is a potential cause for the occurrence of other infectious diseases of the genitourinary tract. And severe itching from thrush during pregnancy leads to insomnia and irritability in women.

The danger of thrush in the early stages

1. When planning a pregnancy, it is necessary to check for infections and fungi. After all, thrush is most dangerous in the first trimester of pregnancy. Therefore, it is advisable to treat it before conception.
2. The danger for the baby is that in the first three weeks of pregnancy the fetus is not yet protected. Therefore, the fungus can penetrate the uterus and affect its intrauterine development.
3. You need to know that if thrush was present long before the woman decided to conceive, a recurrence may occur during pregnancy.
4. In the early stages, the fungus easily penetrates the uterus, especially if it has multiplied greatly. This leads to damage to the umbilical cord, skin and mucous membranes of the baby. Often such infection is fraught with miscarriage and other complications.

Thrush in mid-pregnancy

After a couple of months, the placental barrier is completely formed. How does thrush affect the fetus at this time? It is believed that the fungus is no longer dangerous for him. The fetus is reliably protected by the mucous plug in the cervix and the placenta. He cannot become infected with the fungus, but thrush during pregnancy still causes him harm. Why is it dangerous for the fetus?

• at birth the baby will have a small weight;
• the fetus develops hypoxia, which leads to deviations in the development and formation of organs;
• in very rare cases, a child may also develop an infection - the fungus penetrates the umbilical cord and affects not only his skin, but also his internal organs.

Why is thrush dangerous for the fetus before childbirth?

This is the most dangerous time of the disease . Therefore, at the slightest suspicion, it is necessary to stop infection of the fetus by sanitizing the vagina. For example, using suppositories with Chlorhexidine.

Statistics show that if a woman is sick with candidiasis, then no matter what type of birth she has, the fetus becomes infected in 80% of cases.

This happens because two weeks before birth the mucus plug comes out and the cervix opens slightly. Fungi can get inside and infect the child. How do they affect the fetus? Most often, he develops candidal stomatitis or a fungal infection of the skin. But in premature and weakened newborns, the disease can lead to death. This is the main danger for a child from thrush during pregnancy.

If a child becomes infected

Most often this happens during childbirth. Infection can affect the normal growth and development of the baby. To prevent this, a woman should know how dangerous thrush during pregnancy can be for the health of the child. In newborns, the fungus affects the mucous membranes of the mouth, genital tract and even the eyes. This subsequently causes complete blindness. And in premature babies, infection can be fatal. In addition, antifungal drugs negatively affect the condition of the liver, kidneys and gastrointestinal tract.

How to properly treat thrush during pregnancy

Most antifungal drugs are prohibited for women who are expecting a child. Therefore, treatment of the disease at this time is very difficult and must be carried out under the strict supervision of a doctor.

For pregnant women, it is best to use topical medications. In some cases, it is also possible to use traditional methods of treatment.

When prescribing treatment, the doctor takes into account the duration of pregnancy, the condition of the mother and fetus, and possible contraindications. And only after that he chooses an acceptable treatment. The most commonly prescribed drugs are those that will not harm the fetus:

• in the early stages, Pimafucin suppositories or the low-toxic drug Natamycin are prescribed;
• after 20 weeks you can already use stronger agents - “Butoconazole” or “Isoconazole”;
• from the second trimester, use “Clotrimazole” in cream or vaginal tablets;
• Terzhinan suppositories are effective and safe for the fetus;
• you can use a soda solution or chamomile decoction for baths and washes;
• before childbirth, if other treatment does not help, use Hexicon suppositories containing Chlorhexidine;
• in the most extreme cases, under the supervision of a doctor, you can take systemic drugs, for example, Fluconazole.

How to prevent disease

Women who know how dangerous thrush can be for her and her baby during pregnancy try to prevent the development of the disease. You can do this in the following ways.

During pregnancy? This question worries many expectant mothers, because candidiasis often develops during pregnancy due to a natural decrease in immunity. Fungal infection is often not taken seriously by women, but doctors say it is not as harmless as it might seem at first glance.

Candidiasis in early pregnancy

Answering the question of whether thrush affects pregnancy, experts warn: a fungal infection can harm the baby at any gestational age. Candidiasis does not directly affect conception, but already in the 1st trimester the development of the disease can have serious consequences both for the child and for the process of bearing it.

The period of pregnancy from 1 to 12 weeks is considered the most dangerous: at this time the placenta is just beginning to form, and the embryo does not yet have protection from pathogens and harmful substances. In addition, it is in the 1st trimester that the probability of spontaneous miscarriage is very high. One of the reasons for termination of pregnancy may be infection, including fungal infection.

With candidiasis in pregnant women, the normal microflora of the vagina is disrupted, which significantly increases the risk of concomitant gynecological diseases, which, together with candidiasis, can lead to the development of severe intrauterine pathologies in the fetus and cause developmental delay, hypoxia and death of the child.

In rare cases, yeast-like fungi can penetrate the amniotic sac and infect the baby itself, causing the development of a generalized form of thrush. As a result of such exposure to the fetus, the baby develops fungal infections of various parts of the body, which are often incompatible with life.

The situation is complicated by the fact that treatment of thrush during pregnancy in the 1st trimester cannot be carried out with any drug, since many drugs for candidiasis are contraindicated during pregnancy.

Often, expectant mothers use potent medications for fungal infections after conception has occurred, not yet knowing about their new situation. This can also lead to various developmental abnormalities in the child and spontaneous miscarriage. If a woman has been planning to become pregnant for a long time, before starting treatment she must make sure that conception has not yet occurred.

Thrush in the 2nd and 3rd trimester

Is it dangerous at a later stage? Gynecologists answer this question in the affirmative. In the 2nd trimester, the risk of premature termination of pregnancy still remains, but the baby is already protected by a fully formed placenta, so the possibility of infection and the development of severe pathologies is significantly reduced.

After the end of the 1st trimester, it is much easier to cure candidiasis: in later stages of pregnancy, the list of antifungal drugs approved for use for thrush during pregnancy is significantly expanded.

It is especially important to promptly treat a fungal infection in. Despite the fact that the fetus is almost fully formed at this time, thrush can still seriously affect its development and the course of pregnancy. The consequences of the disease in the later stages of pregnancy may be as follows:

• premature birth;
• fetal hypoxia;
• infection of the child while passing through the birth canal and further development of oral, genital or generalized candidiasis.

Experts always explain to expectant mothers why thrush that develops in the 3rd trimester of pregnancy is dangerous for the fetus, and prescribe mandatory drug treatment. It is especially important to sanitize the birth canal with antifungal drugs shortly before the birth of the child in order to completely protect him from infection.

The impact of candidiasis can affect not only the fetus, but also the pregnant woman herself. With thrush, the risk of cervical ruptures seriously increases, not only during childbirth, but also in the later stages of pregnancy, which is fraught with serious complications for the health of the expectant mother and her baby.

The risk of damage to the genital organ is especially high in cases where the previous birth was performed by caesarean section. If a woman does not cure the disease in time, after the birth of the child she can expect a long recovery period, since with a fungal infection, birth injuries of the vagina and uterus heal with great difficulty.

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Every expectant mother needs to know how thrush affects pregnancy. The consequences of the disease during the period of bearing a baby can indeed be very serious, but a woman expecting a child should not panic if she is diagnosed with this unpleasant disease.

To avoid dangerous complications of a fungal infection, the expectant mother should strictly adhere to the recommendations of the gynecologist monitoring the pregnancy and promptly treat candidiasis.

Women often experience thrush during pregnancy; How is this disease dangerous for the fetus? This question plagues many women today. After all, vaginal candidiasis tends to develop already in the first stages of pregnancy. There could be many reasons for this.

As a rule, it is easier to prevent any disease than to treat it later. The same applies to thrush. But in order to understand the danger this disease poses to the fetus, how to treat thrush so as not to harm the baby, you need to understand what the main causes and symptoms of this disease are.

Causes of thrush during pregnancy

Fungi of the genus Candida, which cause thrush, live in the body of every woman. But the fact is that if their number does not exceed the norm, they do not cause any harm. As soon as there is an excess of these fungi, thrush develops with all the accompanying symptoms. Every woman, especially pregnant women, should know the causes of thrush in order to prevent the development of this disease in time.

Factors contributing to the development of candidiasis during pregnancy:

1. Constant stress and anxiety provoke an exacerbation of all diseases in a woman’s body. Thrush is no exception. After all, the body’s defenses are significantly reduced, so fungi multiply several times more actively, which leads to an imbalance of the vaginal microflora.
2. The cause of the development of thrush may be a change in a woman’s taste preferences. After all, it is known that during pregnancy, women begin to actively lean on salty, spicy and canned foods. This creates a favorable environment for the development of bacteria.
3. Hormonal changes in the female body are another reason for the development of thrush. During pregnancy, a gradual change in the composition of vaginal secretions occurs. And if the acidity changes in a direction favorable for the growth of the fungus, the first symptoms of candidiasis begin to appear.
4. If a woman suffered from hemorrhoids or chronic colitis before pregnancy, then the likelihood of thrush increases several times. And all because of the heavy load on the internal organs, which leads to a gradual change in the microflora.
5. Most often, thrush appears in women who are too careful about their genital hygiene. In this case, all microflora, including beneficial ones, are washed out of the vagina. And instead of beneficial bacteria, fungi of the genus Candida multiply. Sometimes this happens due to improperly selected hygiene products or frequent douching.

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Manifestations of thrush

In order to prevent the development of thrush and neutralize the danger to the fetus, it is not enough to know only the causes. It is necessary to understand how this disease manifests itself in order to begin appropriate treatment in a timely manner that will not harm the baby.

1. The most important is the change in the amount and nature of vaginal discharge in a pregnant woman. The discharge becomes more abundant, has a white color and emits a faint smell of whey or sour milk. When wearing panty liners, a woman often does not attach any importance to this.
2. If no measures are taken immediately, the discharge becomes cheesy, and the smell noticeably intensifies. As a rule, a woman begins to experience discomfort in the intimate area: itching, a feeling of wetness or dryness, inflammation of the external genital organs. Manifestations intensify at night. Sometimes the body temperature may even rise slightly and general health may worsen if the body is weakened.
3. If the disease is not treated further, the discharge may become bloody. In this case, characteristic nagging pains in the lower abdomen will appear, similar to those that are often observed in girls during menstruation. In this case, douching will not have the desired long-term effect; treatment with more serious drugs will be required.

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Consequences of thrush during pregnancy

First, let's figure out how fungi of the genus Candida affect the development of the fetus, and then we'll move on to considering the general consequences of thrush for a pregnant woman.

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How dangerous is thrush for the fetus?

As practice shows, already in the early stages of pregnancy, thrush often increases the tone of the uterus. On the one hand, this is good for the woman, but for the fetus it is a negative phenomenon. Increased tone prevents the beneficial components and oxygen necessary for its development from reaching the fetus.

This, in turn, can affect not only the development of the fetus in the womb, but also disrupt the normal development of the baby’s body in the future. Due to thrush, a child may subsequently develop all sorts of pathologies of internal organs.

The most dangerous phenomenon is the development of candidal sepsis in a woman. If the disease begins to develop so actively, there will be a very high risk of fetal death even before birth. This can happen in two cases: if active treatment is carried out with antibiotics, the excess of which is toxic to the child, or if all organs of the fetus are entwined with candidal mesh, which quickly increases in the absence of proper treatment.

Also, a child can simply become infected with candidiasis in the womb. This does not pose a danger to his life. The disease will make itself felt after childbirth. As a rule, a white coating will be noticeable on the child’s tongue - this is candidal stomatitis. In the future, if left untreated, fungi can infect the baby’s gastrointestinal tract and then leave the body along with feces.

Rarely, but still known in obstetric practice, spontaneous miscarriages due to thrush in a woman. Usually this affects women whose immunity is very weakened, and they suffer from thrush for quite a long time.

How dangerous is thrush during pregnancy for the fetus? A similar question is asked by thousands of expectant mothers who have had this infection in their bodies. Like any infectious disease, thrush, or vaginal candidiasis, poses a certain threat to the health of the pregnant woman and the fetus. The disease is caused by a fungus of the genus Candida, which is constantly present in the female body. But due to certain pathological conditions and factors, it begins to multiply intensively. What is the danger of thrush during pregnancy?

• Causes of the disease and symptoms

Causes of the disease and symptoms

Naturally, a pregnant woman is more concerned about possible risks to the fetus than her own well-being. However, thrush during pregnancy causes certain inconvenience for a woman.

The first trimester of pregnancy is a fertile time for fungal growth. And if a woman during this period has a mild disease, then this will soon change, as the fungus will begin to multiply intensively, leading to oxidation of the environment. This process is associated with a weakening of the functions of the immune system and a decrease in leukocyte activity.

If at this time the problem is ignored and nothing is done, then before the date of labor, yeast-like fungal bacteria will occupy the entire vaginal surface and begin to infect the external tissues of the genital organs. Thrush during pregnancy, the more it grows, the higher the risks for normal gestation and development of the fetus.

The disease is accompanied by copious curd-like discharge from the vagina, in addition to severe itching. Urination becomes painful, and the urge in pregnant women, as everyone knows, becomes more frequent. The consequences of this condition are lack of sleep, irritability, mood swings, and pain provokes uterine tone.

Vaginal candidiasis often leads to erosion of the mucous surfaces of the organs of the reproductive system, and the defects can cover large areas of the membranes. This pathology does not go away on its own, but only develops, affecting healthy tissue further. The advanced stage of the pathology leads to adhesions in the tissue walls, which significantly reduce muscle elasticity. This explains the answer to the question of whether thrush is dangerous during pregnancy. Yes, it's dangerous. This pathology does not allow the uterus to stretch normally as the size of the fetus increases. Adhesions lead not only to severe pain, but also to the threat of miscarriage.

Complication of pregnancy with thrush

Carrying a child is a complex process, fraught with various kinds of difficulties. Naturally, a fungal infection negatively affects pregnancy and threatens the following conditions:

• spontaneous termination of pregnancy before 28 weeks (miscarriage);
• premature birth;
• the appearance of an inflammatory process in placental tissues;
• excessive leakage of amniotic fluid ahead of time;
• infection of the birth canal.

During the early postpartum period (in the first 2 hours after birth), a woman may develop endometritis, an inflammatory process in the uterus, against the background of vaginal candidiasis.

How does thrush affect fetal development?

How dangerous is thrush during pregnancy for the unborn baby? You should not think that such a common disease, which is not classified as a serious pathology, is harmless and will not affect the development of the fetus. In fact, there are a lot of complications that this bacterium provokes:

1. Often thrush leads to oxygen starvation (fetal hypoxia), which causes intrauterine growth retardation and disruption of the formation of the central nervous system. After birth, the baby's adaptation is significantly complicated.
2. It is possible that a full-term baby will be born with an abnormally low birth weight.
3. There are risks of infecting the unborn baby with candidiasis in the case of an advanced stage of the disease.
4. According to statistics, 5-15% of newborn babies are diagnosed with thrush. Infection occurs during labor, when the baby passes through the birth canal.

Can a fetus become infected in the womb?

The concerns of expectant mothers are understandable, but you should not set yourself in a negative mood, but rather seek advice from an experienced obstetrician-gynecologist.

Nature has hedged its bets by making the placenta a reliable protection and barrier against unwanted pathogens. It prevents bacteria from penetrating into the fetal bladder and preventing the unborn baby from coming into contact with the affected tissues of the mother’s body.

If we turn to practical data, the percentage of risk of infection of the fetus with vaginal candidiasis from the mother during pregnancy is low and amounts to only 0.4%.

This is the rarest form of thrush and is extremely severe, affecting large areas of the skin and tissue of internal organs.

During pregnancy, the baby is protected. And before childbirth, the external pharynx opens 12-14 days before labor; Candida fungus can get from the vagina to the fetus. That is why in the last term and during natural childbirth the risks of infection increase sharply.

Most often, signs of candidiasis are found in infants born prematurely. At an advanced stage of infection, even death is possible. We are talking about those situations when a pregnant woman ignores the symptoms of the disease and does not seek qualified help.

Doctors warn pregnant women about such consequences and offer appropriate treatment for the infection. There are ways to get rid of a fungal disease without risk to the unborn baby, which can be done at any stage of gestation. Of course, it will not be possible to completely eliminate these bacteria, because the female body is their natural habitat, but you can control their number by undergoing timely examinations.

Thrush during pregnancy (or candidal colpitis) is quite common. According to WHO statistics, 90% of pregnant women experience it. This is due to weakening of the immune system. Symptoms of the disease, which manifest themselves in the form of cheesy discharge with a specific odor and severe itching, cause a lot of discomfort. Sleep is disturbed, intimacy is excluded, and the quality of life decreases. This affects the psychological state of a woman. Pregnant women have a question: can thrush be dangerous during pregnancy?

There is a statement that there is no need to treat candidiasis; it goes away on its own after a certain time. But this is a misconception. There are circumstances under which a child becomes infected with a fungus both in utero and during its passage through the birth canal.

Thrush during pregnancy - causes

Yeast-like fungi are among the opportunistic microflora. Normally, they are present in the vagina of every woman. Under favorable conditions, candida begins to actively multiply and form colonies.

The main reason for infection during pregnancy is a decrease in local and general immunity. When the protective functions of the genital mucosa are disrupted, the fungi grow rapidly, increasing their numbers. The development of thrush is facilitated by changes in hormonal levels and endocrine status, which are typical for every pregnant woman.

The impetus for the development of the disease can be non-compliance with personal hygiene rules. A woman should always wear dry cotton underwear. Excess moisture is an ideal environment for the proliferation of fungal microflora.

Another cause of thrush is treatment of a pregnant woman with antibacterial drugs. They disrupt the natural environment of the vagina, reduce local immunity, and promote infection.

Factors that can cause thrush include:

• sexual intercourse;
• use of flavored condoms;
• use of daily deodorized pads;
• lactobacilli deficiency;
• diseases of the digestive system - stomach, intestines;
• abuse of sweets;
• bad habits - smoking, alcohol.

The consequences of pregnancy and thrush are not always predictable. The presence of fungus in a woman’s body creates risks for infection of the fetus. The infection itself does not pose a danger to pregnancy, but after birth the baby may require serious treatment.

Intrauterine danger of fungal infection for the fetus

If sexual activity is avoided and hygiene rules are observed in the early stages of pregnancy, thrush rarely occurs. Symptoms of a vaginal yeast infection appear in the second trimester, when hormonal levels change.

If the pregnancy progresses well, the disease is not dangerous for the unborn child. The microbe does not spread to the woman’s internal genital organs, does not penetrate the placental barrier and does not infect the fetus. Candida does not produce toxins that could enter the bloodstream and infect the baby. Therefore, the disease does not affect intrauterine growth, mental and mental development of children.

There are unfavorable conditions under which the presence of thrush in a pregnant woman poses a risk of infection to the fetus. If there is no adequate treatment, the fungus spreads throughout the parts of the woman’s reproductive system. Reaching the umbilical cord, it can penetrate the placenta and infect the mucous membranes and internal organs of the fetus (systemic candidiasis). Such cases have been recorded extremely rarely, but a woman should be aware of such a danger in order to prevent it in a timely manner.

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Is it possible for a virgin to get thrush?

The likelihood of intrauterine infection is negligible and, according to statistics, is 0.5% of all cases of the disease diagnosed during pregnancy. The fetus is reliably protected by membranes, waters, and the fetoplacental complex. But there is always a risk of miscarriage if the uterus is infected with a fungus. Therefore, this microbe, which causes thrush during pregnancy, is dangerous.

Threats in the 2nd and 3rd trimester

Can thrush be harmful during late pregnancy? Untreated candidiasis in the third trimester is a direct threat of infection to the child during passage through the birth canal.

Outcome of candidiasis in a newborn:

• fungal infection of the oral mucosa;
• stomatitis;
• poor appetite, breast refusal;
• constant regurgitation after eating or during feeding;
• impaired sleep quality in a child;
• infection of the skin - a rash, pustules, wounds appear;
• intestinal dysfunction - increased gas formation, bloating, colic.

In newborns, due to the low protective function of the skin, thrush can penetrate the body through the epidermis and affect internal organs!

What else threatens a baby with thrush in a pregnant woman? Damage to the conjunctiva is often recorded. After birth, the baby's eye mucosa becomes inflamed. Hyperemia, edema, and pronounced vascular network in the white of the eye appear. Intense lacrimation is observed due to blockage of the nasolacrimal duct. A bacterial infection may occur.

Girls are diagnosed with urogenital candidiasis. Its symptoms are redness of the labia majora and minora, swelling of the vulva, discharge with a sour milk smell, sometimes with pus.

Why is thrush during pregnancy dangerous for children? In severe cases, it contributes to the development of pneumonia - neonatal pneumonia. Pathology develops during the first hours after birth or a week later. First, respiratory failure and fluctuations in body temperature appear. If emergency assistance is not provided, the disease quickly progresses to shock and can be fatal.

The consequences of thrush during pregnancy in the third trimester are not difficult to avoid. The woman is prescribed complex therapy. If necessary, before childbirth, the vaginal mucosa and cervix are treated with antiseptic and disinfectant solutions. If the birth canal is extensively damaged and the baby is at high risk of infection, a caesarean section is performed.

The effect of thrush on the body of a pregnant woman

The most common way thrush during pregnancy can be dangerous for a woman’s body is the appearance of a chronic inflammatory process of the reproductive organs. In the near and distant future, the following pathologies develop:

• frequent colpitis;
• cervicitis;
• adnexitis;
• adhesions in the adnexal tubes;
• cervical erosion.

A pregnant woman has an increased risk of developing postpartum infection. Endometriosis occurs - inflammation of the inner lining of the uterus.

The presence of thrush affects the physiological state of the mucous membranes. Under the influence of pathogenic microflora, their elasticity decreases. This creates a risk of rupture and injury to the epithelium during childbirth. In the future, fibrous formations—scars made of connective tissue—will form at the site of mechanical damage. They disrupt the anatomical structure of the internal genital organs and lead to functional changes. Postpartum sutures take a long time to heal and have complications; bacterial infection of wound surfaces and suppuration are possible.