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Bacterial Vaginosis During Pregnancy
Being pregnant has its own shares of joys. It is the time wherein a woman achieves a sense of fulfillment in being a new mother. It is a time of self sacrifice and gratification. However, in as much as there are multiple joys in being a new mother, there are also multiple discomforts associated with it. These discomforts may range from major to mild, yet can also make a woman predisposed to complications.
One of the complications brought about by pregnancy is bacterial infection, especially of the female genital tract. One such infection is bacterial vaginosis. Bacterial vaginosis is a vaginal condition that can produce vaginal discharge and results from an overgrowth of normal bacteria in the vagina. In the past, the condition was called Gardnerella vaginitis, after the bacteria that were thought to cause the condition. However, the newer name, bacterial vaginosis, reflects the fact that there are a number of species of bacteria that naturally live in the vaginal area and may grow to excess. The Gardnerella organism is not the sole culprit causing the symptoms. When these multiple species of bacteria become imbalanced, a woman can have a vaginal discharge with a foul odor.
Bacterial vaginosis is not dangerous, but it can cause disturbing symptoms. The symptoms of this condition are vaginal discharge and odor. Usually, there are no other symptoms. The amount of vaginal discharge that is considered normal varies from woman to woman. Therefore, any degree of vaginal discharge that is abnormal for a particular woman should be evaluated.
The question now is, how can pregnant women prevent bacterial vaginosis?
Preventing Bacterial Vaginosis
There are many ways on how to prevent bacterial vaginosis and those presented here are just a few.
The first thing that you have to take control of is your clothing. You should wear cotton underwear instead of synthetic fabrics. This leaves you feeling fresh. Remember that bacteria like to thrive in moist, dark places of the body.
The next thing that you have to do is to wear thigh-highs instead of pantyhose. Pantyhose helps build up moisture in your groin areas and stimulates the growth of bacteria and fungi in your genital tract.
You should avoid tight pants when you are pregnant, because of the above-mentioned principle.
After each bowel movement and after urination, you should wipe from front to back and not the other way around. Doing the latter transfers bacterial growth and wastes to your genital area, thus you develop bacterial vaginosis.
You should dry yourself very well after a shower. Doing this eradicates the breeding ground for bacteria and fungi. You should refrain from using oils in the bath, because this process traps bacteria.
You should also douche only once a month with mild douche. Also, here is a simple douche to help restore a well balanced pH level in the vagina. Add one teaspoon of boric acid or a half-cup of hydrogen peroxide to two quarts of warm water. A good practice when douching is to always use gentle formulas instead of strong vinegar based ones. Over cleansing can kill to many of the good bacteria.
By following these tips, you are preventing bacterial vaginosis and its dreadful complications and you are taking charge of your life.
During Pregnancy