Thrush in pregnancy is caused due to the microscopic fungus called ‘Candida albicans’. At the same time as this organism commonly resides in the intestinal tract of women, only 1 out of 3 women have this fungus present in their vagina. Besides, this can cause a problem when the fungus outgrows the good bacteria. At the time pregnancy, the vagina is rich in a type of glucose known as the ‘glycogen’ and it feeds on the growth of this fungus. It is believed that higher levels of glycogen would occur because of the increased levels of oestrogen along with the lack of acidity in the vagina. That’s why there are more chances of getting a thrush in pregnancy, as compared to normal situations.
Other things that could kill the pro-biotic bacteria include birth control pills, anti-biotics, hormonal drugs, chlorine, steroids, fluoride, carbonated drinks, stress, radiation, synthetic vitamins, additives and fertilizers.
Symptoms of Thrush
During pregnancy, it is common to see an increase in the production of cervical fluid. In addition, you may perhaps notice milky, thin discharge and it later becomes creamy, white and thick, just like cottage cheese. If you experience itching in and around the vaginal area, there are chances that you have thrush. Quite a few women also notice a burning or a stinging sensation taking place over the labia while urinating. On the other hand, others would feel unpleasant sensations at the time of sexual intercourse. If you feel any of the above mentioned symptoms, then it would be suggestive to have yourself checked, so as to steer away from thrush in pregnancy. For a few women perineal or anal burning is the only sign when showering or urinating.
How to Prevent Thrush?
There are scores of pro-biotic preparations available in the market today, mostly in a powder form. You can also get these from a local health store in your neighbourhood. Since it is a live bacteria, they would usually stock up the pro-biotic ‘acidophilus’ in a fridge. Consult a doctor before you choose to consume any form of pro-biotic medication.
Treatment Options
As soon as you figure out that you are infested with thrush during pregnancy, you must first inform your carer. You may perhaps be prescribed a medicine in the form of creams or pessaries, which are usually recommended for use during pregnancy. For the most part, oral forms of medications are to be avoided in the state of pregnancy. A lot of care-givers would not be concerned about a diagnosis of thrush, even if they notice a heavy growth of fungus, for the reason that it is considered harmless. Therefore, you would have to be insistent enough, so as to get a prescription. If you happen to be in your first trimester, there are lesser chances of you getting a medication from your carer. However, we have listed a few ways, which would help you deal with thrush in pregnancy.
- Get over-the-counter medications for thrush. There are several creams available out there, which do not require a prescription. Such medications would help you deal with the basic bacterial imbalances. They would facilitate the growth of the “good” bacteria.
- Start consuming natural live yogurts, which contain pro-biotic bacteria called acidophilus. Although the intensity of pro-biotics in yoghurt is fairly low, it would still help with the thrush over a longer period of time. If itching happens to be a problem, you may also consider inserting the yoghurt into the vagina. However, you must differentiate between true yoghurt and sweetened or synthetic yoghurt. Soak a tampon and insert it in the vagina for about 2 hours. A few treatments like these would help and lessen the symptoms of thrush.
- Avoid underwear which is tight or comes with materials like lycra that eventually reduces air circulation. It would be best to use underwear made of cotton, all through your pregnancy. Avoid tight trousers or jeans, whenever possible. The fungus, candida albicans, requires a warm and a moist environment to exist, therefore avoid longer warm baths.
- Avoid the consumption of yeast. Most pregnant women have experienced that yeast in their diet has increased the amount of fungus. You must also know that yeast is also found in iron supplements. Therefore, check the ingredients before you consume any form of supplements. Lastly, higher levels of sugar are one of the most common causes that increase the growth of the fungus in the vagina.
Can Thrush Hurt Your Baby?
Most pregnant women are worried whether thrush would hurt their baby or not. As a matter of fact, thrush in pregnancy would cause no harm to your child. In case if you have thrush at the time when you get into labour, there are little chances that your baby might be affected with thrush, since the baby comes through the vagina as well. If the baby is affected with thrush, it would have the presence of white patches in the mouth. However, thrush is not serious and can be treated easily.
In case if the baby gets thrush, it might pass it back to you, obviously through breastfeeding and you would end up re-infesting each other. Therefore, it is essential to get the both of you treated at the same time. You may experience a ‘shooting’ pain or sore, tender nipples at the time of breastfeeding. This would be an unpleasant experience for the mom since the pain would emerge right back to the end of the breasts. You may try consulting a doctor for medications post-pregnancy, which would help you deal with the pain as well as the thrush in general.