Ureaplasmosis during pregnancy: treatment, consequences for the child

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

Pregnancy is a wonderful period in the life of every woman, but it is during the bearing of a baby that we become more suspicious, we have numerous fears and concerns. Think about it: during the time of our grandmothers and mothers, no one had any idea about venereal diseases and infections, giving birth to strong and he althy children. It's a completely different matter these days. The expectant mother, having learned about her interesting position, must pass many tests. That is why the concept of pregnancy planning is currently so relevant. Future parents, having decided to have a baby, should visit a medical facility together, pass all the tests, including for infections, if necessary, undergo treatment, and then proceed to the conception procedure. But in practice, sometimes everything happens exactly the opposite.

A woman at the first visit to the gynecologist for the purpose of registration takes all the tests, after which she is diagnosed with the presence of a sexual infection. One of the most common problems today is ureaplasmosis during pregnancy. Opinions about this disease are divided. Many modern boys and girls have no ideaabout it, and they do not want to know. Why is ureaplasmosis dangerous during pregnancy? What are the consequences for the woman and the fetus infection can have? This is what we will talk about in this material.

About infection

Ureaplasmosis refers to infectious diseases, the causative agent of which is the bacterium of the same name. For a long time it was believed that it was transmitted exclusively through sexual contact. But in 1998, after the appearance of the International Classification of Diseases, ureaplasmosis was classified as an inflammatory disease of the genitourinary system. And there are objective reasons for that.

The fact is that the ureaplasma bacterium lives in the vagina of 70% of women, but under normal conditions does not manifest itself in any way, does not cause the slightest discomfort. 90% of the vaginal microflora is represented by lactobacilli, the remaining 10% are reserved for pathogenic organisms, which, under conditions of high protective properties of the body, do no harm. It is enough just to catch a cold, weaken your immunity, as harmful organisms begin to actively reproduce, becoming harbingers of infectious diseases.

If, as part of a laboratory study, ureaplasmas are found in the female body in the maximum allowable amount, it is customary to consider the fair sex as a carrier of the infection.

Pregnancy and ureaplasmosis

Finally, we have come to the conclusion that many women have become more attentive to their he alth. Fortunately, those who undergo a full examination before the intended conception, every yearis getting bigger. And quite often, having passed the necessary tests, they learn about the infection - ureaplasma. And here the woman asks the main question: how does the infection affect reproductive function? Does it interfere with conception?

From a medical point of view, the bacterium does not put any obstacles to the fertilization of the egg. But this disease is still best treated before you become pregnant. Treatment of ureaplasmosis during pregnancy is complicated by the restriction of drugs, since most of them can have a detrimental effect on the baby. That is why it is so important to fully recover before conception.

Risk area

Where does ureaplasmosis come from during pregnancy? Consequences for the woman and the fetus? How vigilant and attentive should every modern woman be in order to save herself from the unpleasant manifestations of the disease and its consequences? Before studying the symptoms, let's look at those situations that lead to infection.

This disease is transmitted from person to person only through sexual contact. By the way, even oral sex can cause infection, so you need to be extremely careful in your sexual relationships. Household methods of infection, that is, through common items, a pool and others, contrary to the prevailing stereotype, are absolutely excluded.

Symptomatics

A microorganism such as ureaplasma is mainly based in the vagina. But in medical practice, there are cases when the infection managed to spread further: inurethra and even uterus. By the way, the deepest defeat of the infection most often occurs directly in the process of labor. That is why it is so important to treat the disease in time.

Given that ureaplasmosis during pregnancy can affect different parts of the genitourinary system, the symptoms can also be different. The incubation period averages 1 month. At the end of it, the first symptoms of ureaplasmosis in women during pregnancy begin to appear:

• white vaginal discharge;
• increasing the intensity of secretions.

And here the first difficulties arise: pregnancy provokes the production of more mucus, so women sometimes do not pay any attention to the symptoms of infection.

Such symptoms pass fairly quickly. Unfortunately, in most cases, women do not consider them a reason to see a doctor, triggering an infection. The disease stops for a while, but with the slightest stress, fatigue, or a cold, it begins to attack decisively. Symptoms vary by site of infection:

• Vagina - in this case, an inflammatory process develops, accompanied by thick white discharge. Quite often, women confuse these symptoms with thrush, not considering it a good reason to visit a gynecologist.
• Uterus - if the infection progresses further and affects the lining of the uterus, endometritis may develop. In this case, pain in the lower abdomen is added to the whitish discharge.
• Bladder - infection in this case leads to the development of cystitis, accompanied by frequent urge to urinate and burning during it.

Ureaplasmosis in early pregnancy is dangerous primarily because few women react to its first signs. Even if, after reading the reviews of modern mothers and talking with more experienced friends, there is no point in denying the obvious, many prefer to self-medicate, not realizing how dangerous the infection really is. As a result, women are actively fighting thrush, vaginosis, starting a real problem.

Degree of danger

Having understood the symptoms, it is important to understand the risk of infection. Why is ureaplasmosis dangerous during pregnancy for a woman and a child? Some time ago, the diagnosis of this infection was an indication for termination of pregnancy. Just think about the consequences it brings. It was believed that the disease has an extremely negative impact on the unborn child, provoking the development of complications and pathologies. How dangerous is ureaplasmosis during pregnancy? Can the consequences for the child be prevented? There is nothing surprising in the fact that these questions concern all expectant mothers.

A number of medical studies have established a direct relationship between ureaplasmosis and missed pregnancy. In the event that it is not possible to prevent infection of the fetus, most likely, the termination of its further development cannot be avoided.

In fact, ureaplasmosisduring pregnancy is dangerous, but not so much. Medical practice shows that with such a diagnosis it is possible to endure and give birth to a he althy child. However, the negative impact of infection on the fetus cannot be denied.

First trimeter of pregnancy

When is ureaplasmosis most dangerous during pregnancy? The effect on the fetus in the first trimester of pregnancy raises a lot of questions. If the infection penetrates to the baby before the placenta is finally formed, it will be quite difficult to avoid infection of the fetus: most likely, ureaplasma will still penetrate into its blood. This is what will cause the development of deviations in development and serious pathologies in the unborn child. Nevertheless, there is still a chance for the opposite - from the first days of conception, the female body throws all its efforts into protecting the crumbs, therefore it can effectively resist even such a viral infection.

Unfortunately, ureaplasmosis during pregnancy leads to loosening of the cervix, which in turn can lead to its premature opening and rejection of the fetus, that is, miscarriage. According to some reports, it can cause a child to develop congenital pneumonia.

Last trimeter of pregnancy

Many believe that the infection is dangerous only in the first months after conception. Of course, during the birth of a new life, the formation of the main systems of the child, the disease poses the greatest threat, but even in the last months, ureaplasma can cause premature birth.

Diagnosis

It is much better if the study for ureaplasma is carried out as part of a general examinationbody during pregnancy planning. Indeed, in this case, it will be possible to prevent the negative impact of the infection on the fetus. During pregnancy, the study is carried out only in the presence of concomitant symptoms.

It is rather problematic to diagnose ureaplasma in a pregnant woman, because it is very difficult to reliably determine its presence in the vaginal microflora and the approximate amount. To date, there are three diagnostic methods:

• Polymer chain reaction (PCR) - captures the presence of ureaplasma DNA in the vaginal microflora. One of the most effective and fastest diagnostic methods, because after 4-5 hours you can already get the result. The disadvantage is the inability to determine the number of microorganisms. This method is most often used for the primary detection of infection.
• Analysis for the presence of antibodies to the ureaplasma antigen - most often used to determine the cause of infertility or spontaneous abortion.
• Bacteriological seeding - implies a preliminary sampling of biomaterial from the woman's vagina. The smear is placed in a nutrient medium, where the possibility of developing the disease is determined by the rate of development of pathogenic microflora. An indicator of 10 to the fifth degree in the case of a pregnant woman is not dangerous, treatment in this case is not prescribed. A significant advantage of this method is the ability to determine the degree of effectiveness in the treatment of infection of various medicines in order to ensure high efficiency.subsequent treatment. It will take 2-3 days to get the result.

Treatment

Infection control during pregnancy should be done exclusively under the supervision of a specialist. It is strictly forbidden to self-medicate, since any medication, even in a small amount, can harm a child. Treatment of ureaplasmosis during pregnancy is hampered by the fact that the range of drugs that can be used is instantly narrowed, which can affect effectiveness. That is why it is better to treat the disease before pregnancy.

But if it was not possible to avoid infection, you are looking for the answer to the question of how to treat ureaplasmosis during pregnancy, first remember one simple truth - both partners need to fight the infection. In addition, during treatment, you should give up sexual activity or use a condom during sex to prevent the exchange of bacteria.

Like any infectious disease, ureaplasmosis is treated exclusively with antibiotics. And here many mothers remember that these drugs and pregnancy are simply incompatible. How to be in this case? Most often, when an infection is detected early, treatment is postponed until 20-22 weeks to reduce the likelihood of developing pathology from taking antibiotics.

Do I need to take all drugs

Quite often, after seeing a doctor, women receive a huge list of medications that constitute a course of treatment. Like any modern person, theythey begin to get acquainted with drugs, instructions and indications for use using the Internet, sometimes not noticing anything to do with their problem. And then the expediency of accepting this entire list is called into question.

The fact is that the use of antibiotics often requires additional medication, primarily immunomodulators and those that help restore the intestinal microflora. Under the influence of antibiotics, unfortunately, all microflora, both harmful and beneficial, is killed, which increases the risk of developing dysbacteriosis. So, in order to prevent this condition, the doctor prescribes such a large list of drugs.

Summing up

Ureaplasmosis in pregnant women, unfortunately, is a little-studied disease. And all because, until recently, no one was engaged in diagnosing infections of the genitourinary system. The full impact of ureaplasmosis on pregnancy and the fetus has not yet been fully established. That is why we want to remind you once again that all examinations, including those for sexually transmitted diseases, must be carried out at the stage of pregnancy planning so as not to harm yourself and your baby in the future.

But even if it is not possible to prevent infection or detect it early, you must immediately begin treatment under the supervision of a gynecologist leading your pregnancy. In principle, you should be more attentive to your he alth, regularly take tests and in no case self-medicate. Consequences of itit's hard to even guess. It is better to spend time and effort looking for a qualified specialist who will support you throughout the 9 months of waiting, help with his advice and recommendations. This will save you from a number of mistakes and help you endure and then give birth to a strong and he althy baby.