Cervical erosion during pregnancy: symptoms, treatment methods, consequences

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

Erosion of the cervix (ectopia, ectropion) is a rather insidious disease found in women by chance during a routine visit to a gynecologist or during examination during pregnancy. The danger lies in the fact that cervical erosion tends to be asymptomatic, without obvious malaise. Erosion for a long time may not bother a woman, not bring any inconvenience. However, sometimes some are faced with part of the symptoms, and in order to pay attention to them in time, you need to know some aspects of the disease. And also do not forget about the timely visit to the gynecologist to control your he alth.

Many women experience cervical erosion during pregnancy. Most often, a pregnant woman learns about the presence of erosion during examination or on ultrasound.

Classification

Cervical erosion has several varieties: congenital, untreatable and acquired. In the first case, a woman needs to monitor the course of the disease every six months in order to prevent the development of cancer cells in a timely manner. In the second case, erosion is not a pathology and is successfully cured. The main thing is to detect it in time and consult a doctor for recommendations.

Reasons

During pregnancy, a woman undergoes hormonal changes throughout her body. This creates favorable conditions for the onset of the disease. In the case of pregnancy, excessive blood flow occurs in the cervix, it is this fact during the examination that may indicate inflammation. Infection must be eliminated because an existing infection can adversely affect the membranes, causing fetal abnormalities and contributing to miscarriage, fetal death.

Chronic inflammations such as salpingo-oophoritis, adnexitis, endometritis create favorable conditions for the formation of cervical erosion.

In addition, ectopia could have occurred long before pregnancy, for example, when a woman took oral contraceptives for protection.

Childbirth, uterine trauma (abortions, miscarriages), early onset of intimate life, frequent change of sexual partners, unprotected or rough intercourse can also be an impetus for the appearance of ectopia.

But the most common cause is sexually transmitted infections. For example, herpetic, chlamydia, mycoplasmosis, papillomavirus. Therefore, when planning a pregnancyit is imperative to visit a gynecologist for examination, detection of pathologies and their timely treatment.

Earlier it was believed that erosion occurs in women around forty years old. But now there is a tendency to the appearance of the disease at any age. Now, even in nulliparous, cervical erosion can be diagnosed. The reason is the more common problems in the endocrine system, in other words, in the imbalance of hormones. As a result of excessive cell division and the growth of mucous membranes, cervical erosion is obtained.

Symptoms

Symptoms of cervical erosion during pregnancy are mostly absent. Usually, erosion does not bring discomfort, without showing itself in any way, but it happens that the woman is still worried:

• Bleeding, especially in the first trimester of pregnancy. It is worth contacting a gynecologist without delay, the doctor will carefully and accurately determine the degree of threat to your he alth and the he alth of your child.
• Intensive selection.
• Feeling pain during intercourse.
• Disgusting vaginal odor.

Treatment

To prevent erosion, it is necessary to undergo an annual gynecological examination, without postponing it until any unpleasant symptoms or discomfort appear. When treating with medicines, hormonal preparations are used, the main component of which is a compound of hyaluronic acid and zinc.

There are the following ways to influencecervical erosion:

• Laser. Modern, effective and less traumatic method. Using a laser, the cells of the cylindrical epithelium are burned from the surface of the cervix.
• Radio wave therapy. Due to the high cost of equipment and the need for qualified specialists, it has not been actively used in recent years,
• Current. Despite the "age", this technique, as before, remains (more than 90%) effective. Using special electrodes, the doctor removes the surface of the pathological spot on the cervix. Scars remain, therefore, cervical erosion in nulliparous women due to the risk of infertility is not treated by this method.
• Liquid nitrogen. Impact on the cervix at low temperatures is carried out with nitrous oxide. Less traumatic and does not leave any scars.
• Chemical preparations ("Vulstimulin", "Vagotil", "Solkagin").
• Suppositories.

With cervical erosion during pregnancy, it is very important to diagnose it in a timely manner. In the absence of infections, the disease can be treated after the birth of the baby, but it is necessary to conduct a series of regular laboratory tests, carry out constant medical supervision, cytology and colposcopy. With a significant form and pathological changes, the treatment of cervical erosion during pregnancy is recommended to be the least radical and sparing.

The most gentle and painless method of treating cervical erosion is the technology of point exposure - laser vaporization (cauterization). Thisthe method of treatment stimulates the regeneration process, starting cell repair, thereby reducing inflammation and removing altered erosive tissues. Laser treatment does not interfere with the normal course of childbirth, ensuring rapid healing. During pregnancy, cauterization of cervical erosion is usually not carried out. Doctors recommend waiting until childbirth, constantly monitoring and monitoring the course of the disease and the well-being of the pregnant woman. Most often, less radical tactics are used in the form of wound-healing ointments, anti-inflammatory drugs, hemostatic and antifungal therapy. It is worth remembering that in no case should you self-medicate, it can be dangerous to use any medications or alternative methods without the consent of a doctor.

Alternative Methods

As one of the alternative methods of restoration of the epithelium of the cervix, treatment with leeches and acupuncture can be used. But they have not received wide distribution due to unproven effectiveness.

Traditional medicine

Treatment of folk remedies for cervical erosion is applicable, but will not bring much effect. It consists in the following therapies, such as douching with a solution of copper sulphate, using tampons with sea buckthorn oil, Levomekol ointment, taking an aqueous and alcoholic solution of propolis, herbal medicine in the form of douching with infusion of calendula, boron uterus, calamus root, chamomile. It should be noted that none of the above treatmentserosion of the cervix with folk remedies does not give any guarantee. And even more so with serious pathologies, you should not waste time and hope for "maybe".

Consequences

According to statistics, about six hundred thousand women a year are diagnosed with cervical cancer, the cause of which is untreated cervical erosion. Changes in the neck imperceptibly acquire a precancerous character and after a while become a malignant pathology. Therefore, it is better to prevent the occurrence of any dangerous diseases, for this you need to visit a gynecologist every six months for a routine examination.

What is the danger of cervical erosion during pregnancy?

During pregnancy, due to reduced immunity and hormonal changes in the body, ectopia can lead to infectious inflammation. And when erosion itself during pregnancy is not dangerous in any way and does not have any effect on the fetus, then the infection that has arisen against the background of the disease can become critical. Due to the negative impact, various pathologies can develop, the formation of internal organs, infection of the body, pregnancy loss and fetal death can be disrupted. Accordingly, the consequences of pregnancy with cervical erosion can be catastrophic for both mother and child.

Diagnosis

During a routine gynecological examination, it is impossible even for professionals to identify the nature and degree of damage to the uterine mucosa by eye. Therefore, to make the correct diagnosis, a number of comprehensive studies are carried out:

• Cytology.
• Backseeding.
• Colposcopy.
• Biopsy material.
• Blood test for hormones.
• Blood testing for sexually transmitted diseases (genital herpes, chlamydia, mycoplasmosis, papillomavirus, syphilis, HIV).

After the examination, the gynecologist will establish the final diagnosis, find out not only the cause of cervical erosion, but also prescribe an effective treatment.

Prevention

In order to prevent cervical erosion, you should increase immunity, monitor the he alth of your sexual partner, observe intimate hygiene, do not forget to visit a gynecologist for periodic examination and examination, in some cases - vaccination.

In closing

It has long been known that it is desirable to cure all existing diseases during planning, before pregnancy. From the moment of conception, the hormonal picture of a woman's body changes dramatically, immunity decreases and the risk of various diseases increases. The placenta is a temporary endocrine organ in the mother's body. The vaginal mucosa of the uterus does not remain unchanged. During the entire period of pregnancy, changes occur that must be observed by gynecologists. Cervical erosion during pregnancy sometimes causes minor recurrent bleeding, the main thing is not to be afraid and not to panic. Continuous monitoring by a gynecologist will help to avoid serious complications, childbirth will be successful, so you shouldstrictly adhere to all his appointments and recommendations.