Thrush before childbirth: what to do, how to treat?

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Such a very unpleasant disease as thrush can occur at any age, but the manifestation of this disease before childbirth gives a woman preparing to become a mother the most trouble and excitement.

Therefore, it is necessary to know the causes, conditions for early diagnosis and methods of dealing with thrush in pregnant women.

Causes of occurrence

In what cases thrush may appear, not everyone knows. The main cause of this disease is hormonal changes in a woman's body, which she is exposed to at the beginning of pregnancy or after childbirth during the first weeks of breastfeeding.

It should be noted that the appearance of manifestations of thrush against the background of missing menstruation is one of the first signs of pregnancy.

A sharp jump in the body's production of the hormone progesterone, which is responsible for the second phase of the cycle during pregnancy or the bearing of a full-fledged fetus, contributes to the manifestation of thrush in the early stages.

A similar process takes place directlybefore childbirth, when the level of progesterone produced begins to subside before the upcoming labor activity.

One of the causes of candidiasis during pregnancy may be a weakening of the immune system.

Symptoms

To determine the presence of thrush, a visit to the doctor is not always required. In most cases, the disease can be diagnosed independently. The manifestation of the disease consists in the appearance of discharge from the vaginal area, which has a characteristic pale color.

Sometimes, such discharge can pass without discomfort, but much more often they occur against the background of burning, severe itching and dryness of the mucous membranes. In severe forms, this discharge may be creamy or curdled.

In some cases, thrush can go away on its own, but most often it requires the intervention of a specialist. There are situations when candidiasis worries a woman throughout the entire period of pregnancy. In this case, treatment procedures kill the fungus only for a while, then itching, burning and whitish discharge appear again.

In some cases, in the absence of concern from pathogens, specialists deliberately do not prescribe treatment, but resort to methods of dealing with the disease only before the planned birth. In a situation where the discharge, itching and burning, are permanent, treatment is necessary.

How dangerous is thrush?

The development of the inflammatory process can lead to leakage of amniotic fluid, which can also be mistakenly perceived asdischarge from candidiasis.

Such a leak cannot be detected by yourself. To determine the presence of this deviation, even the doctor performs a number of special tests.

The danger of thrush immediately before childbirth is that the infection can be transmitted to the newborn. To exclude such a possibility, a thorough examination and mandatory follow-up treatment is necessary.

If a mother notices in her newborn baby the manifestations of candidiasis on the lips or in the oral cavity, expressed in the form of a white coating or the presence of characteristic balls, the child should be treated immediately.

Prevention

Doctors unanimously say that the best treatment is prevention. If candidiasis manifested itself at the planning stage, first of all, you should first get rid of your own problems and only then start conceiving a child.

Preventive measures against the occurrence of thrush in a pregnant woman are no different from the usual methods used by a woman who is not preparing to become a mother. Recommended actions include:

1. No synthetic underwear.
2. Prohibiting the use of toilet soap during washing, replacing it with special products designed for intimate hygiene, which have a neutral pH.
3. Exclusion of foreign substances and objects getting inside the vagina.
4. Prohibition of thong type underwear.
5. It is forbidden to use any antibiotics without first consulting a specialist.
6. Start in a timely manner to eliminate the problem that has arisen and prevent the occurrence of chronic forms.

Women who have had to give birth with candidiasis unanimously agree that it is much easier to treat the disease before childbirth than to do it after the baby is born.

How to treat thrush?

If thrush appeared before childbirth, not everyone knows how to treat the disease. Before therapy, a pregnant woman needs to perform a series of tests, as a result of which it is possible to identify a predisposition to therapeutic drugs, and only then proceed to prescribing drugs. It is this approach that will eliminate any harm to the he alth of the mother and her unborn baby.

As a rule, the following drugs are prescribed for the treatment of candidiasis in pregnant women:

• Clotrimazole;
• Polygynax;
• Terzhinan;
• "Livarol";
• Betadine;
• Ginofort;
• "Pimafucin";
• "Kandinorm";
• Hexicon.

These drugs can also be successfully used on the eve of childbirth.

After the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, against the symptoms of thrush, the attending physician may prescribe suppositories for thrush before childbirth "Nystatin". After 39 weeks, the use of stronger drugs, such as Cyclopirox, Clotrimazole, Miconazole, is acceptable.

During the period from 1 to 26 weeks, you should not use "Livarol", "Macmiror", "Mikozhinaks","Zalain", "Betadine" and "Clotrimazole". In the third trimester, it is permissible to use drugs such as Pimafucin, Zalain, Terzhinan, Ginofort.

Most often, pregnant women are prescribed topical drugs. It does not depend on the gestational age. In no case should you try to recover from the disease yourself. Self-douching can lead to further spread of the infection to the uterine area.

Immediately before the onset of childbirth, it is necessary to carry out a vaginal sanitation procedure using special preparations that minimize the activity of microflora. This procedure is carried out in order to exclude the possibility of infection of the unborn child.

Traditional medicine methods

For the treatment of thrush before childbirth, according to reviews, the use of traditional medicine methods is allowed. However, before proceeding to get rid of the disease using these techniques, you should consult with your doctor, who will choose the most effective way.

What is recommended?

Not everyone knows what to do with thrush before childbirth. It must be remembered that during pregnancy it is strictly forbidden to douche the vagina with solutions, but 1-2 washings per day are acceptable using the following folk methods:

1. Chamomile flowers should be placed in an enamel pot, pour 1 liter of boiling water, cover, then put on fire and bring to a boil. cooled down toroom temperature strain the broth.
2. Chamomile and calendula in equal proportions should be placed in an enamel pan, add 1 liter of boiling water, bring to a boil over low heat, then cool and strain.
3. Biokefirs, which have a low fat content, will allow lactobacilli to multiply freely, as a result of which the vagina will be reliably protected from pathogenic microorganisms.

The practice of any of these methods is unacceptable without consulting a gynecologist. Otherwise, there is a high degree of risk to the he alth of the mother and unborn child.

Diet

During the period of struggle with thrush, a woman should not only take medications, but also organize a proper he althy diet. At this time, the presence in the diet is unacceptable:

1. Sweets and honey.
2. Sugar.
3. Flour and bakery products.
4. Bananas.

Since all these foods are rich in carbohydrates, they are an ideal breeding ground for the emergence and reproduction of the fungus.

During the treatment period, you need to take more protein foods. Regarding the use of vitamins, it is better to consult with your doctor.

Conclusion

A mother-to-be should take care of both her own and the he alth of her unborn child. You should not try to cure the disease yourself, as this is fraught with the emergence of a number of new problems and complications. It is better to seek help from a qualified specialist who will find the most effective way.struggle with an existing ailment.

It must be remembered that only the timely detection of thrush will ensure the fastest possible relief from this disease and completely eliminate the likelihood of a negative impact on the unborn child.