Thrush with pregnancy
Vaginal thrush during pregnancy | Pregnancy Birth and Baby
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Most women experience occasional bouts of a common yeast infection known as vaginal thrush. It causes itching, irritation and swelling of the vagina and surrounding area, sometimes with a creamy white cottage cheese-like discharge.
Vaginal thrush is fairly harmless, but it can be uncomfortable and it can keep coming back, which is known as recurrent thrush.
Thrush is a yeast infection, usually caused by a yeast-like fungus called 'Candida albicans'.
Many women have Candida in their vagina without it causing any symptoms. Hormones in vaginal secretions and 'friendly' vaginal bacteria keep the fungus under control. Problems arise when the natural balance in the vagina is upset and Candida multiplies.
Vaginal thrush can sometimes be passed on during sex but is not considered a sexually transmitted infection (STI). However, if you have thrush it’s best to avoid having sex until you’ve completed a course of treatment and the infection has cleared up.
During pregnancy
You are more at risk of getting thrush while you're pregnant. Changes in the levels of female hormones, such as oestrogen, increase your chances of developing thrush and make it more likely to keep coming back.
There is no evidence that thrush affects your chances of getting pregnant.
If you're pregnant or breastfeeding and you have thrush, you should avoid taking oral anti-thrush treatments. Instead, use vaginal pessaries, plus an anti-thrush cream if necessary.
Treatment
If you have thrush and you're pregnant or breastfeeding, you should always visit your doctor rather than buying anti-thrush medication over the counter from a pharmacy.
You won’t be prescribed oral treatment because it may affect your baby. An anti-thrush pessary, such as clotrimazole, nystatin or miconazole will probably be prescribed to be used for about 3 to 7 days.
If you're pregnant, take care when inserting a pessary because there's a risk of injuring your cervix (neck of the womb). To reduce the risk, it may be better to insert the pessaries by hand instead of using the applicator.
If you have symptoms around your vulva, such as itching and soreness, you may also be prescribed an anti-thrush cream.
Not all of these products are safe to use at different stages of pregnancy, so it's important to talk to your doctor and pharmacist before using any products.
What can I do to prevent vaginal thrush?
There are a number of simple things you can do:
- Wear cotton or silk underwear rather than synthetics and change daily. Wear tights or stockings for as short a time as possible.
- Wash underwear in hot water and pure soap and double rinse to make sure any irritants are removed before you wear them.
- Change out of damp swimming costumes or sports clothes as soon as possible after swimming or exercise.
- If using pads, change them regularly and avoid perfumed or deodorised pads.
- Avoid tight fitting clothes such as jeans as this creates a moist, warm environment that encourages the overgrowth of bacteria and yeasts.
- Never douche — except if it is specifically prescribed by a doctor to treat an infection. Douching increases your risk of vaginal irritation and is not recommended during pregnancy. A healthy vagina does not need a vaginal deodorant.
- Avoid using soaps, bubble baths, bath salts, perfumes and perfumed talcs around the vaginal area. And never ever use anything harsh such as disinfectants — even diluted, near your vagina.
- A gentle moisturiser like aqueous cream may be advised. Use water or soap substitutes to wash the area.
- Always wipe from the front to the back after going to the toilet since this stops bowel organisms being swept into the vagina.
Don’t use perfumed toilet paper because it can cause irritation.
Sources:
Mater Mother’s Hospital (Pregnancy – information for women and families), MotherSafe: NSW Medications in Pregnancy and Breastfeeding Service (Thrush in pregnancy), Women and Children’s Health Network (Common health problems in pregnancy – vaginal thrush)Learn more here about the development and quality assurance of healthdirect content.
Last reviewed: November 2020
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How to Treat Thrush During Pregnancy
Thrush is caused by the fungus Candida albicans, which inhabits the mouth or genitals. If present in excessive amounts, this fungus can cause white lesions, redness, and soreness, among other symptoms. Candida albicans occurs naturally in the body in small quantities. Expecting mothers often want to know how to treat thrush naturally during pregnancy.
However, when the immune system is not functioning at full capacity, the body is unable to keep the levels of fungus in check, and thrush can result. Thrush can occur in the mouth, in the genitals, and on the breasts of mothers who are nursing infants with thrush.
- Creamy white lesions on your tongue, inner cheeks, and sometimes on the roof of your mouth, gums, and tonsils
- Slightly raised lesions with a cottage cheese-like appearance
- Redness or soreness that may be severe enough to cause difficulty eating or swallowing
- Slight bleeding if the lesions are rubbed or scraped
- Cracking and redness at the corners of your mouth (especially in denture wearers)
- A cottony feeling in your mouth
- Loss of taste
Thrush can occur at any age, from babies, to healthy adults, and even to the elderly.
The Following Include Possible Risk Factors for Contracting Thrush:- Being an infant or elderly
- Having a weakened immune system
- Wearing dentures
- Having other health conditions, such as diabetes
- Taking certain medications, such as antibiotics or oral/inhaled corticosteroids
- Undergoing chemotherapy or radiation treatment for cancer
- Having conditions that cause dry mouth
Treat thrush naturally while expecting is possible.
Here are a couple of natural options you can take to treat thrush naturally during pregnancy.
Proper oral hygiene
One way you can combat the excessive amounts of oral fungus is practicing good brushing and flossing habits daily. However, it is best to avoid mouthwash during this time since it can affect the original amounts of flora inside your mouth.
Saltwater rinse
Rinsing with salt water might help to alleviate some of the pain caused by the sores in your mouth. The Mayo Clinic recommends the following practice: Dissolve 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 milliliters) of salt in 1 cup (237 milliliters) of warm water. Swish this around in your mouth and then spit it out. Do not swallow it.
Treating Thrush during Pregnancy When the Natural Ways Don’t WorkThere are options you can explore with your health care provider or over the counter when experiencing thrush.
Antifungal cream
An antifungal cream can be used to treat breastfeeding moms who contract thrush from their infants, as well as women who develop thrush in their vagina.
Babies with thrush can pass the condition on to the breastfeeding mother.
In this case, the doctor may prescribe an antifungal cream to treat the thrush that is on the breasts. If your infant has thrush, it is likely the fungus is also on the baby’s pacifier and bottles, so they should be washed thoroughly and sanitized. Your doctor can identify further ways to clean these items.
Sometimes, cases of thrush are severe enough that they cannot be cured by natural means alone. In this situation, your doctor may prescribe an antifungal medication to help regulate the levels of Candida albicans in your system. It is important to note that pregnant women should not take the anti-fungal tablets known as fluconazole, as some studies indicate that it could cause birth defects. Consult with your doctor before taking any medications.
If you think you have thrush, it is important to consult your doctor immediately, as thrush can spread into the throat, esophagus, and intestines, leading to eating and digestion issues.
- Yeast Infections During Pregnancy
Compiled using information from the following sources:
Mayo Clinic: Disease Conditions/oral thrush
https://www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/1101.aspx?CategoryID=54
https://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/infections/Pages/Thrush-and-Other-Candida-Infections.aspx
Infections during pregnancy - prices for diagnosis and monitoring of pregnancy in the clinic "Mother and Child" in Moscow
Every woman who is expecting a baby pays special attention to her health. This is not surprising, because any deviation from the norm or the appearance of any infection can cause the development of serious pathologies in the baby. But there are ailments that expectant mothers are especially common. One of them is thrush or vulvovaginal candidiasis.
Thrush during pregnancy in Moscow:
Clinical hospital MD GROUPClinical hospital Lapino-1 "Mother and Child"Clinic KG "Lapino" in Odintsovo (branch)Clinic "Mother and Child" Khodynskoye PoleClinic "Mother and Child" Kuntsevo
Clinic "Mother and Child" Savelovskaya Clinic "Mother and Child" South-West Clinic "Mother and Child" Novogireevo Clinic "Mother and Child" Lefortovo
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Thrush and its complications
Thrush in pregnant women is an infectious disease caused by yeast-like fungi of the genus Candida.
It is worth saying that these microorganisms in small quantities can be present in the vagina and colon of even an absolutely healthy woman. Under certain conditions, active growth of fungi occurs and an inflammatory process develops.
Almost 2/3 of the fair sex at least once in their lives experienced manifestations of thrush. Approximately half of them have relapses of the disease, and in 5% the pathology acquires a chronic relapsing course. But in pregnant women, thrush occurs three times more often than in patients outside of pregnancy. This is due primarily to changes in hormonal status and restructuring of the immune system of the future mother's body. These are exactly the conditions that are necessary for the growth and increase in the number of Candida fungi.
In most cases, thrush is not dangerous for the fetus, but this unpleasant pathology can still cause certain complications. With candidiasis, the risk of termination of pregnancy, premature birth and spontaneous abortion increases.
The upward spread of the infectious process can lead to damage to the membranes and leakage of amniotic fluid. All this as a result can cause hypoxia and intrauterine infection of the fetus.
Thrush symptoms
Thrush symptoms:
- moderate or heavy cheesy vaginal discharge;
- white coating on the genitals;
- irritation, itching, burning in the genital area, worse after urination, hygiene, intimacy and at night;
- hyperemia and swelling of the vagina and vulva, the appearance of microcracks on the mucous membrane of the genital organs;
- the appearance of an unpleasant odor.
With a significant spread of the inflammatory process on the surface of the vagina, small and large labia, burgundy vesicles with liquid contents are formed. After the opening of the vesicles, microerosions and crusts are formed. In overweight women, such manifestations can extend to the inguinal and intergluteal folds.
As the disease progresses, the fungus enters the urinary system.
The ascending spread of the infection is evidenced by pain, frequent urination, aching pain in the lower abdomen, fever, discomfort and pain during intercourse.
Causes of pathology development
Despite the fact that candidiasis can be transmitted sexually from an infected partner, the main cause of the development of the disease is considered to be a violation of the immune system and a decrease in the number of lactobacilli. The thing is that during pregnancy, a woman's body is rebuilt, the hormonal status changes, immunity decreases. The microflora of the vagina also changes: the number of lactobacilli, which are necessary to maintain a normal pH level and suppress the growth of pathogenic microorganisms, decreases.
As long as the balance between beneficial and pathogenic microorganisms is maintained, the expectant mother does not experience any discomfort. But as soon as the number of lactobacilli decreases, the process of rapid reproduction of Candida fungi starts.
Unpleasant symptoms begin to appear.
Another reason for the development of thrush during pregnancy is a decrease in immunity. It should be noted that this is a completely natural process. Without a physiological decrease in immunity, normal gestation is impossible: during the period of expectation of a baby, special substances begin to be synthesized in the woman's body that prevent the formation of antibodies and eliminate the risk of rejection of fetal cells by the mother's immune system. But with a decrease in immunity, more favorable conditions are created for the development of infection and the spread of the inflammatory process. It is these conditions that are optimal for the reproduction of the Candida fungus.
There are other factors that can provoke the development of thrush:
- incorrect or insufficient intimate hygiene;
- wearing synthetic underwear;
- chronic inflammatory diseases that reduce immunity;
- long-term use of antibiotics;
- hypothermia.
Diagnosis of thrush
The symptoms of thrush are similar to the manifestations of other infectious diseases, so the diagnosis is aimed at determining the causes that caused the anxiety of the pregnant patient. First, a survey is conducted, during which the doctor collects information about the duration and intensity of symptoms. Then an examination is carried out on a chair with mirrors in order to assess the condition of the mucosa. Already by the presence of hyperemia, white plaque, abundant curdled discharge and rash, the doctor can make a preliminary conclusion about the development of candidiasis.
To confirm the diagnosis, a smear is taken for the flora, and PCR diagnostics are also prescribed to differentiate microorganisms.
Treatment of thrush
The main task in the treatment of thrush is to maintain a balance between the therapeutic effect and safety for the fetus. The therapy is based on the use of well-tolerated, non-toxic topical drugs that do not affect the systemic blood flow.
Vaginal suppositories are mainly used, thanks to which it is possible to quickly eliminate symptoms. These are polyene antimycotics, imidazoles, triazoles, combined preparations that reduce the activity of yeast-like fungi.
At the time of treatment, it is recommended to abandon intimate life or use barrier contraceptives. It is also important to strictly follow medical recommendations and adhere to the prescribed therapeutic regimen. Otherwise, it will not be possible to achieve a positive effect from the treatment, and the disease may become chronic.
Prophylaxis
It is impossible to completely exclude the possibility of thrush during pregnancy. However, you can follow the recommendations that will minimize the possible risks. Experts recommend:
- abandon synthetic underwear in favor of natural fabrics;
- observe the rules of intimate hygiene;
- do not use panty liners all the time;
- try not to overcool.
You should also avoid stressful loads and adjust the diet by increasing the amount of fruits, vegetables, dairy products consumed.
If before pregnancy a woman has already encountered manifestations of thrush, you should register with a gynecologist as soon as possible.
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services - Thrush during pregnancy
Clinical Hospital MD GROUPClinical Hospital Lapino-1 "Mother and Child"Clinic KG "Lapino" in Odintsovo (branch)Clinic "Mother and Child" KuntsevoClinic "Mother and Child" Khodynskoye PoleClinic "Mother and Child" SavelovskayaClinic "Mother and Child" Yugo-ZapadMother and Child Clinic LefortovoMother and Child Clinic Novogireevo
Thrush during pregnancy
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Ecofucin for the treatment of thrush during pregnancy.
Thrush is a disease of the vaginal and vulvar mucosa caused by yeast-like fungi of the genus Candida, which affects 35% of women during pregnancy 1 .
At risk for recurrent thrush are those pregnant women who have already had a history of thrush episodes
Pregnancy is a special period in a woman's life, the body is rebuilt - the hormonal background changes, the level of progesterone increases, which leads to a decrease in immunity, the level of estrogens rises, and therefore glycogen accumulates in the vaginal mucosa - a nutrient medium for yeast-like fungi of the genus Candida.
Lactobacilli are the predominant microorganisms in the vaginal microflora of a healthy woman. A normal concentration of lactobacilli provides the necessary acidity in the vagina, which inhibits the growth of fungi. Lactobacilli are also involved in the formation of local immunity
In addition, during thrush, the vaginal microflora is disturbed - the number of lactobacilli decreases sharply. These changes lead to the growth and reproduction of pathogenic fungi of the genus Candida, which leads to an increase in the number of manifestations of acute and recurrent forms of thrush.
Symptoms of thrush in a pregnant woman:
- itching and burning in the vulva and / or vagina, swelling and irritation in the vulva
- vaginal discharge with a "cheesy character", sometimes an unpleasant odor
- pain during and after intercourse
- urination disorder and pain
The appearance of at least one of the symptoms is a reason for an unscheduled visit to the doctor.
Why is it important to diagnose and treat thrush in a pregnant woman in time?
Some women are asymptomatic carriers of yeast-like fungi of the genus Candida and experience neither discomfort nor symptoms of the disease throughout the entire period of pregnancy 2
A pregnant woman with thrush (including an asymptomatic carrier) is a source of infection for her unborn child. Infection from mother to child occurs in 75-80% of cases 3 . Infection of a newborn occurs when passing through the birth canal (the skin of the child comes into contact with the infected mucous membranes of the mother's birth canal). In newborns, candidiasis is manifested by lesions of the mucous membranes and skin 2 , which can lead to negative consequences. For premature babies, infection with fungi of the genus Candida is especially dangerous 2 .
Timely and effective treatment of thrush in a pregnant woman is an important task
Treatment of thrush
Safety and efficacy are the main criteria for choosing a drug in the treatment of thrush in pregnant women complications for the course of pregnancy and for the health of the mother and her unborn child.
In the treatment of thrush, experts recommend an integrated approach to therapy.
It is important to follow the recommendations of a specialist, following the prescribed dosages and regimen.
Comprehensive treatment should be aimed at solving two problems: eliminating the cause of thrush (fungi of the genus Candida) and restoring the vaginal microflora. It is important to know that not all drugs are approved for use during pregnancy. For example, most oral (systemic) drugs and some topical drugs for treating thrush are contraindicated during pregnancy.
Ecofucin
® In the treatment of thrush in pregnant womenEcofucin
® is allowed for all pregnancy periods and during lactation 4
Why ecofucin ® 9000 9 ® 9000 9 is not provided. locally in the focus of infection Natamycin + Prebiotic 5 The active substance 7 of the drug Ecofucin ® eliminates the cause of thrush, and the prebiotic 5 in the composition of the drug Ecofucin ® helps to restore the vaginal microflora and strengthen local immunity 6 . Efficacy and safety of Ecofucin has been proven by clinical studies Ecofucin promotes faster recovery of patients with thrush. More details For pregnant women Moscow 40 patients For non-pregnant women St. Petersburg 36 patients Clinical cure occurred significantly earlier in the group of patients who used Ecofucin. Kuzmin V.N., Bogdanova M.N. Ecofucin® is the first drug for the eradication of Candida fungi with the effect of stimulating the growth of lactobacilli in pregnant women. breast cancer. 2020; one; 28-33 Ecofucin increases the number of own lactobacilli in the vagina and reduces the risk of recurrence of thrush. More details For pregnant women Moscow 40 patients For non-pregnant women St. Petersburg 36 patients Clinical cure occurred significantly earlier in the group of patients who used Ecofucin. Kuzmin V.N., Bogdanova M.N. Ecofucin® is the first drug for the eradication of Candida fungi with the effect of stimulating the growth of lactobacilli in pregnant women. breast cancer. 2020; one; 28-33 Method of administration and doses The regimen for the use of Ecofucin ® in a pregnant woman is prescribed by the attending physician individually. Additional conditions for effective treatment of thrush are: giving up bad habits, a carbohydrate-restricted diet, wearing underwear made from natural fabrics, etc. It is important to consult a gynecologist in a timely manner and exclude self-treatment. 1. Tikhomirov A.L., Sarsania S.I. Features of candidal vulvovaginitis in pregnant women at the present stage. // Farmateka No. 9, 2009, p. 64-70. 2. Prilepskaya V.N., Mirzabalaeva A.K., Kira E.F., Gomberg M.A., Apolikhina I.A., Bairamova G.R. Federal clinical guidelines "Urogenital candidiasis".
