Understanding vaginal infections
Since vaginal infections have a significant impact on women’s fertility and pregnancy outcomes, it should be considered in the topic of infertility.
Therefore, the diagnosis and management of vaginal infections can reduce or completely eliminate its consequences.
Types of vaginal infections
Depending on the days of the menstrual cycle, vaginal secretions change in terms of concentration and attenuation. Usually, in the first half of the cycle, which is the follicular phase, the secretions are thinner, and the closer we get to the time of ovulation, the amount of these secretions increases and becomes elastic, and in In the luteal phase, under the secretion of progesterone hormone, the amount of secretions becomes less and more concentrated.
These discharges are naturally present in every cycle and are repeated. But if these colorless or milky discharges become fragrant and colored discharges, they should be examined and treated for infection.
Usually during pregnancy, breastfeeding and sexual intercourse, these secretions increase because these secretions are influenced by hormones.
The origin of the secretions are scan glands, Bartholin’s glands, sebaceous glands and vaginal wall cells.
The bacteria that live naturally in the vagina are called vaginal flora. Vaginal flora is the first line of defense against genitourinary infections.
The most common natural flora of the vagina is Lactobacillus.
Lactobacilli produce lactic acid, which keeps the natural ph of the vagina between 3.8 and 4.5 and prevents bacteria from attaching to the vaginal epithelium cells.
This mild acidic environment helps to protect the vagina against vaginal infections. Estrogen increases the growth of lactobacilli. Therefore, those who have disorders of estrogen secretion are prone to genital vaginal infections. Almost all women have a lot of discharge from the vagina during pregnancy. It is a completely normal thing, but changing the color and smell of secretions, inflammation of the genital area, itching and burning of the vagina are abnormal. In the second half of pregnancy, these vaginal infections are more common. Although vaginal infections are easily treated, but during pregnancy These infections should be taken seriously, because they cause disruption in pregnancy and disease for the fetus.
The most common problem in women is vaginitis. An inflammatory disorder of the vagina that is classified into two groups: infectious vaginitis and non-infectious vaginitis.
Non-infectious vaginitis
It usually occurs for the following reasons:
Infectious vaginitis:
which are caused by the dominance of microorganisms on the natural flora of the vagina. Its three common types are:
Bacterial vaginitis is the most common cause of vaginitis during pregnancy.
The most common cause is Gardenella, so this vaginitis is also called Gardenella vaginitis or non-specific vaginitis. The change in the natural flora of the vagina causes the loss of lactobacilli and the growth of anaerobic bacteria. Bacterial vaginitis is recurrent in 15 to 20 years. It can be seen that 1 to 2 percent of women do not show any symptoms at all and they can only be diagnosed during an examination. 10 to 30 percent of pregnant women have bacterial vaginitis, and unfortunately, bacterial vaginosis is associated with spontaneous abortion, premature birth, rupture of the fetal membranes, and chorioamnionitis. and amniotic fluid infection is associated.
Vaginal alkalization due to multiple intercourse or frequent use of vaginal douches
Diagnosis of bacterial vaginitis:
There are four criteria for tuberculosis, and if a person meets three of these four criteria, they are diagnosed with bacterial vaginitis.
The causative agent of this infection is a flagellated parasite called Trichomonas.
The packaging is unmarked.
It is transmitted through sex
Symptoms often reach their peak immediately after the start of menstrual bleeding.
Most of the time (60% of cases) it is associated with bacterial vaginosis.
Transmission of trichomonas to the infant through direct contact in the birth canal is rare, but may result in respiratory or genital infection of the infant.
Some studies have associated trichomonas infection with preterm birth, P PROM, and small-for-gestational-age infants.
With the onset of menstrual bleeding, the symptoms reach their peak because the blood in the vagina moves the pH of the vagina to the alkaline side.
Risk factors:
Diagnosis of trichomonas vaginitis
Vaginal candidiasis is one of the most common vaginal infections and genital infections.
The relationship between candidiasis and pregnancy outcomes is not strong. Some researchers stated that candidiasis can be the cause of miscarriage, candidal chorioamnionitis, premature birth. Therefore, the treatment of asymptomatic candidiasis may reduce these complications.
Causes of Candida infection:
The symptoms start before the onset of menstrual bleeding. Watery to thick crusty secretions, white secretions in the upper part of the vagina, even without the discharge of red secretions with specific boundaries of the vulva, edema of the vulva, reduction of scalyness and scaly formation in the vulva with sticky secretions are very important causes in Infertility is caused by vaginal infections or genital infections, which play a large role in its occurrence.
Women are more susceptible to infection than men.
