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Vaginal Itching During Pregnancy: Causes, Symptoms, and More

Pregnant women often experience vaginal itching at some point during pregnancy. This is a normal and common occurrence.

Many things can cause vaginal itching during pregnancy. Some may be the result of changes your body is going through. Other causes may not be associated with your pregnancy at all.

Read on to review the potential causes of vaginal itching during pregnancy, plus learn hands-on information about treatment and prevention.

These conditions may cause vaginal itching during pregnancy:

Bacterial vaginosis

Bacterial vaginosis can occur if the balance between the good and bad bacteria in the vagina changes. This common vaginal infection typically happens to sexually active women, whether they’re pregnant or not. Symptoms include:

• a thin, opaque or grayish discharge
• itching
• burning
• redness
• a fishlike odor, especially after sexual intercourse

Yeast infection

In addition to bacteria, your vagina normally contains a small amount of yeast. The hormonal changes associated with pregnancy can disrupt the pH balance of the vagina, causing yeast to multiply. For this reason, yeast infections are common during pregnancy.

Symptoms can include:

• itching
• burning
• a thick vaginal discharge that has the texture of cottage cheese

Increase in vaginal discharge

The amount of vaginal discharge and cervical mucus you secrete may increase throughout pregnancy. Hormonal changes causes this as well as the softening of the cervix and vaginal walls.

Discharge is designed to protect your vagina from infection, but it can irritate the skin of the vulva, making it red and itchy.

Vaginal dryness

Hormonal changes may cause vaginal dryness to occur in some people during pregnancy. Anecdotal evidence indicates that those who are breastfeeding when they conceive are more likely to experience this symptom.

Redness, irritation, and pain during sex may also occur.

Low progesterone may also cause vaginal dryness in some pregnant women. Since this hormone is necessary for sustaining pregnancy, talk to your doctor if you have this symptom.

Sensitivity to products

During pregnancy, the vagina becomes engorged with blood, and your skin may feel stretched and more sensitive than usual.

Products that you used comfortably before conceiving may now irritate your skin, causing it to itch and redden. Products that can cause this to occur include:

• detergent
• bubble bath
• body wash
• soap

Urinary tract infection (UTI)

The uterus sits on top of the bladder. As it expands during pregnancy, greater pressure is placed on the bladder. This can block the expulsion of urine, causing an infection to occur.

For this reason, pregnant women can be at greater risk for getting a UTI.

Bacteria can also cause UTIs, such as group B strep bacteria (GBS). Around 1 in 4 pregnant women test positive for GBS. GBS in adults doesn’t usually show symptoms. Since the GBS bacteria can be harmful to a newborn, your doctor will test you for it during pregnancy.

Symptoms include:

• frequent and urgent need to urinate
• abdominal pain
• vaginal itching and burning
• blood in urine
• pain during intercourse

Cholestasis of pregnancy

This liver condition may occur late in pregnancy. Why it happens isn’t completely understood. Experts think genetics and pregnancy hormones play a role.

Cholestasis of pregnancy causes extreme itchiness on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet. The itching may start to affect the entire body, including the vaginal area. Rashes and redness don’t occur with this condition.

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs)

STIs, such as genital herpes, HPV, and trichomoniasis, may all have vaginal itching as an early symptom.

You can become pregnant while you have an STI or get one during pregnancy. Since STIs may not show symptoms, it’s important to let your doctor know if you think you may have one contracted one.

If an STI does show symptoms, you may have:

• rash
• burning sensation
• warts
• fever
• vaginal discharge
• flu-like symptoms

STIs can adversely affect you and your baby, but you can get treated while you’re pregnant, eliminating those risks.

Vaginal itching during pregnancy is often nothing to worry about and can often be resolved with at-home treatments.

However, during this time it may make sense to be especially proactive and talk with your doctor about any troubling symptoms you experience.

Treatments for vaginal itching will vary based on the cause. They include:

• Over-the-counter antifungal treatments. If your doctor has confirmed that you have a yeast infection, you can use an OTC antifungal cream or suppository to treat it. Don’t use fluconazole (Diflucan). This prescribed antifungal medication has been linked to an increased risk of miscarriage and shouldn’t be taken during pregnancy.
• Baking soda. Itchy skin can be soothed by soaking in a baking soda bath or using a baking soda compresses on the area.
• Cool water. Cool baths and cold compresses may also help reduce itching.
• Product elimination. If you think the products you’re using are causing your symptoms, try eliminating all of them and use all-natural, gentle products designed for use during pregnancy or for babies.
• Antibiotics. You’ll need prescription medication if you have a UTI, STI, or bacterial vaginosis.
• Corticosteroids. Topical anti-itch creams such as corticosteroids may help reduce itching.
• Other medications. If you have cholestasis, your doctor will monitor you and might recommend you use anti-bile medications.

It may be hard to completely avoid vaginal itching during pregnancy, but certain proactive behaviors may help. Consider these tips:

• Try to keep your vaginal pH in the healthy range by eating yogurt that contains live cultures. You can also take a Lactobacillusacidophilus supplement daily with your doctor’s approval.
• Wear underwear made from cotton or another breathable fabric.
• Avoid wearing clothing that’s too tight.
• Immediately change out of damp clothing, such as bathing suits or exercise gear.
• Avoid using products that contain scents, chemicals, or irritants.
• Practice good hygiene, especially after going to the bathroom. Always wipe from front to back.
• Don’t douche. Douching alters the vagina’s natural pH balance. Follow our guide to clean your vagina and vulva.
• Try to reduce your stress levels with prenatal yoga, meditation, or deep breathing.

Mention any uncomfortable symptom that worries you during pregnancy to your doctor. If you have vaginal itching that doesn’t respond to at-home treatment within a few days, have your doctor check it out.

If vaginal itching is accompanied by other symptoms, such as pain or a thick, smelly discharge, see your doctor to rule out an infection. Also see your doctor if you notice streaky blood in your discharge.

Vaginal itching is a common occurrence during pregnancy and often nothing to worry about. It’s mostly associated with the normal hormonal changes you can expect during this time.

If you’re concerned about this symptom, or other symptoms accompany it, such as pain or odor, your doctor will be able to prescribe treatments that can help.

COLPITIS DURING PREGNANCY

During pregnancy, a woman, as a rule, takes special care of her health and reacts anxiously to every unusual symptom.

Unusual discharge and discomfort in the genital area are often the cause of the expectant mother's panic. Such a complex of symptoms most likely indicates the development of a pathological process, which in medicine is called vaginitis or colpitis. In pregnant women, this condition is noted especially often against the background of a decrease in immunity, hormonal changes in the body and high loads on all organs and systems of a woman.

Vaginitis during pregnancy is a good reason to immediately contact a gynecologist and start treating this dangerous pathology. Diagnose the disease and determine how to treat colpitis during pregnancy without harming the mother and baby, qualified gynecologists will prompt.

Symptoms of colpitis during pregnancy

First of all, it should be determined that vaginitis or colpitis is an inflammatory disease that involves the mucous membranes of the vagina. The inflamed walls of the vagina swell and undergo hyperemia. Also, single hemorrhages are noted on the surface of the vaginal tissues. If the inflammation does not spread beyond the vagina, the woman does not notice visual manifestations of the disease, while in some cases the pathological process affects the external genitalia. In this case, inflammation can be seen with the naked eye.

The characteristic signs of colpitis during pregnancy do not differ from the symptoms of a non-pregnant woman:

- itching and burning in the vaginal area - the inflammatory process irritates the delicate mucous membranes, which causes discomfort and sometimes pain in the vaginal walls;

- pain in the lower abdomen - this symptom is especially frightening for pregnant women, but it is not associated with the tone of the uterus, as many assume, but with inflammation of the tissues;

- the appearance of specific discharge - the discharge during colpitis during pregnancy is very abundant and may have a different color and consistency. Most often, a woman visually notes a white curdled discharge, resembling a characteristic sign of thrush, but sometimes the vaginal discharge acquires a putrid odor and is greenish-yellow in color. This indicates the specific nature of the pathogen and requires immediate medical advice;

- swelling and redness of the genital organs - patients often notice hyperemia and swelling of the labia and clitoris, which become more sensitive and cause discomfort to the woman.

Acute vaginitis during pregnancy is accompanied by severe symptoms, which should make the patient seek professional help. This will help protect the child from possible negative consequences.

Causes and types of vaginitis during pregnancy

Inflammation of the mucous membranes of the vagina is usually of an infectious nature. This becomes possible due to vaginal dysbacteriosis, which often accompanies the period of pregnancy. Hormonal changes and high loads on all organs of the expectant mother cause a decrease in the body's defenses, which provokes an infectious and inflammatory process. In this case, the causative agent of the pathology can act as a bacterial flora that has penetrated into the body from the outside during sexual intercourse or in the household way, and that makes up the normal microflora of the vagina. The most likely infectious agents of colpitis in pregnant women include streptococci, fungi of the genus Candida, E. coli, trichomonas, ureaplasma, mycoplasma, etc.

It is interesting that depending on the cause of the development of the disease, its symptoms and manifestations may differ:

- candidal colpitis - accompanied by abundant cheesy discharge and severe itching of the genital organs, which manifests itself even at rest;

- emphysematous colpitis - a very common type of vaginitis in pregnant women. Pathology is accompanied by the formation of small watery vesicles on the surface of the mucous membranes of the genital organs. This form of colpitis resolves on its own in 2-3 weeks after childbirth;

- Trichomonas colpitis is a very dangerous form of pathology that develops when Trichomonas enters the vaginal environment. Infection occurs during intercourse or when using personal hygiene items shared with the carrier (towel, washcloth, etc.). It is manifested by characteristic putrefactive secretions with a sharp unpleasant odor.

Concomitant conditions for the development of colpitis in a pregnant woman, in addition to a decrease in immunity, may be allergic reactions, microtrauma of the vagina, non-observance of personal hygiene, the presence of chronic diseases.

Colpitis during pregnancy: consequences for the child

Inflammation of the mucous membranes of the vagina poses a threat not only to the health of the expectant mother, but also to the baby. The ascending route of infection can lead to pregnancy abnormalities such as polyhydramnios, premature birth, and infection of the amniotic fluid. Vaginitis is especially dangerous during childbirth, when the baby passes through an infected maternal birth canal. In at this moment there is a high probability of infection newborn.

Interestingly, colpitis after pregnancy can go away on its own, but this happens relatively rarely. The development of colpitis after childbirth is most often provoked by trauma to the vaginal membranes during delivery. In connection with this fact, doctors recommend abstaining from sexual activity for the first weeks after childbirth. Violating this prohibition, a woman increases the risk of developing colpitis after childbirth.

Treatment of colpitis during pregnancy

Diagnosis of the disease involves a standard gynecological examination and colposcopy. This research method makes it possible to visualize the surface of the mucous membrane of the walls of the vagina and assess their condition. During the examination, the doctor takes a smear for analysis. The study of biological material is carried out by bacterioscopic and bacteriological methods.

Treatment of colpitis in pregnant women requires a rational approach to prescribing antibiotics. The doctor selects an antibacterial drug that can suppress the pathogen detected in the smear, and at the same time does not have a negative effect on the fetus. Often preference is given to local forms of antibiotics - suppositories, ointments and tampons. Treatment is supplemented with general strengthening therapy and safe physiotherapy procedures.

Pregnancy discharge | What are the discharge during pregnancy? | Blog

In the absence of menstruation, girls usually suspect that conception has occurred. However, during pregnancy, the female body may continue to secrete a secret of a different color and character. We recommend that you keep a close eye on everything that happens so as not to miss the development of adverse events. We will talk about how to recognize problem situations during pregnancy in the article.

What secretions can occur during conception

Many women note that immediately after the delay and in the later stages, the nature of the secretion changes. It can be:

1. With or without scent.
2. Depending on the color - transparent, white, cream, yellow, greenish, bloody.
3. By consistency - thick, liquid, cheesy.
4. As a symptom for assessing the state of health - threatening, safe.

During ovulation, the egg is released from the ovary, its membrane is blown away, a small amount of fluid is released - so it becomes ready for fertilization. At this time, the thick mucus that fills the cervical canal of the cervix becomes less viscous. This makes it easier for the spermatozoa to penetrate and move further into the tubes for fertilization. At this time, you may notice an abundance of clear mucous secretion.

After the fusion of the egg with the spermatozoon, movement into the uterus begins, which should end with implantation in the inner layer. During penetration, its slight detachment may occur - this causes damage to the blood vessels that abundantly penetrate the muscular layer of the uterus. You may see light brown discharge, which is common during pregnancy. The color is due to the fact that the blood has time to clot.

Sometimes the discharge is brightly colored and some women mistake it for early menses. But in this case, a short duration is characteristic, a different shade (dark or scarlet), a slight mark on the linen.

With some features of the structure of the female genital organs (for example, with a bicornuate uterus), after implantation of the embryo in one part, rejection of the endometrium may begin in the other, as is usually the case with menstruation. This rarely happens.

Characteristics of discharge in case of threatened miscarriage

Spontaneous abortion is the rejection of an embryo in the early stages after conception. If at the first signs of pregnancy, you notice spotting, there is a high probability that a miscarriage begins.

Also, miscarriage symptoms include:

• pulling or pressing on the lower abdomen, sacrum, lower back;
• the muscles of the uterus are tense.

A woman may experience cramps. This continues all the time or intermittently. From the vagina there are scarlet or brown discharge during pregnancy, which was previously confirmed. Sometimes the period may be still small, and the first signs did not have time to appear.

After 22 weeks, this phenomenon is called preterm labor. The child in this case is still weak, the organs are not sufficiently developed, and there is little chance of survival.

The following factors increase the risk of miscarriage:

• various diseases;
• progesterone deficiency;
• nervous and physical strain;
• pathologies in the genitals;
• fetal developmental defects.

To confirm the diagnosis, the doctor prescribes an ultrasound scan. If it shows that the fetal heart rate is disturbed, the tone of the uterus is increased, its size differs from normal for this period, hospitalization will be recommended to maintain pregnancy.

What discharge during pregnancy is considered normal

This secretion does not pose a threat to health:

• transparent;
• whitish;
• yellowish;
• odor free;
• mucous;
• without itching, burning, redness of the genitals.

Clear fluid on underwear is a symptom of ovulation. During pregnancy, the activity of ongoing processes in the body increases, so the amount of secretion secreted may increase. However, a violation of the norm is the leakage of amniotic fluid. You can determine the problem with the help of special diagnostic tests that the doctor will prescribe if he has suspicions.

White color, small amount, homogeneous structure should also not cause concern. The increased volume of fluid in this case is associated with increased hormonal activity.

One of the variants of the norm is mucous discharge, which smells of slight sourness. If there is no pain, discomfort, there is nothing to worry about.

Yellow discharge, there are signs of pregnancy, there is no unpleasant odor - you are all right. Some women had this color before conception, only they did not pay attention. Now there are more of them, therefore more noticeable.

Sometimes a woman observes that the laundry gets wet and there is a smell of urine. This may indicate incontinence due to the constant pressure of the growing uterus. In this case, it is recommended to go to the toilet more often, change underpants twice a day.

What discharge during pregnancy is considered a sign of infection?

White discharge during pregnancy with a cheesy texture is a symptom of thrush (candidiasis). In pregnant women, it is diagnosed quite often - the reason is a change in hormonal levels. The disease is accompanied by itching, redness of the vulva, a strong sour smell. Sometimes external manifestations are not detected, then treatment is not carried out.

Infection is indicated by pain, pain, skin irritation, ulcers, smell of rot or fish, gray or green color, frothy discharge, increased nervousness, large inguinal lymph nodes. The reason may lie in sexually transmitted infections. This includes syphilis, gonorrhea, trichomoniasis, chlamydia and others. They are dangerous because they cause premature birth and fetal developmental defects.

What kind of discharge during pregnancy should I pay special attention to and should I consult a doctor?

The following indicates that pregnancy is at risk:

1. Severe pain in the perineum, bleeding, difficulty defecation, convulsions - these can be injuries to the vaginal mucosa.
2. Nausea, profuse vomiting, swelling, headaches, cough, hypertension, bright red secretion are symptoms of hydatidiform mole (abnormal development of the embryo).
3. A drop in blood pressure, pallor, weakness, sweating, pulling sensations, bleeding during pregnancy against the background of a lack of growth of hCG in the blood - this is how ectopic attachment manifests itself.
4. Isolation of clots, sharp pain, vomiting, diarrhea may indicate a frozen fetus.

If you experience any of these symptoms, contact your doctor immediately.

It is also necessary to contact the clinic if you have been physically abused, had rough sex, had an accident, fell, hit. The likelihood that the situation will be resolved successfully is much higher if you do not delay the visit, listen to the symptoms and take good care of your health.

Remember, despite the fact that pregnancy is a normal state of health of the female body, the diagnosis and treatment tactics are still different, due to the many restrictions on manipulations and medications during pregnancy. That is why diagnosis and treatment during pregnancy should take place only under the supervision of a physician. By ignoring the symptoms or self-medicating, a pregnant woman risks not only her health, but also the health of her child.

Doctors of the Leleka maternity hospital manage pregnancies of any complexity, including those aggravated by infections, pathologies, and the threat of miscarriage.

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