Pregnant women may experience a variety of changes to their bodies over the course of the 9 months in which they’ll carry a baby. Within the first trimester, and even after a missed period, a woman may experience bacterial changes in the vagina. These changes can lead to a malady known as bacterial vaginosis or BV. This is caused when the bacteria of a woman’s vagina changes, and this can occur in pregnant women because their hormones are shifting, causing a disruption in normal function. Only up to 30% of women will experience this issue during pregnancy, but it does occur.
Understanding The Symptoms of Bacterial Vaginosis
Before getting into pregnancy and vaginosis, you should know what the symptoms are. The symptoms associated with this issue, whether pregnant or not include discharge, foul odor, redness, itching, and even rash. But here’s the thing, some women will not see any symptoms develop at first. These may come through with several issues, or none at all, and that’s something that most people don’t realize until symptoms are really bad.
Pregnancy and Vaginosis
For women that are pregnant, there is a chance that vaginosis can set in. This is something that occurs in a fraction of women, but it is possible. In this regard, you’ll find that there is a slight risk of miscarriage, pre-term birth weight, and premature ruptures. There’s also problems with the uterine lining that have been linked to this problem, causing issues with the birth and pregnancy. Now, because some women have no symptoms, this may not be a discussion that is had until the symptoms come through. Women should ask about these things with their doctor immediately, before symptoms even start to appear, just in case. A pelvic exam can help with this.
First Trimester Bacterial Vaginosis and Light Bleeding
Women that are pregnant may develop this bacterial problem within the first trimester. Those that do in fact have this issue, will need to see a doctor right away. This becomes especially true if there’s bleeding of any kind. Whether light or heavy, it’s imperative to see a physician for a pelvic exam. Left untreated, this could cause problems with the pregnancy, and could lead to miscarriage, and other issues. A doctor can diagnose this, and set a course of action to prevent any further issue with the pregnancy.
Bacterial Vaginosis and Bleeding After Period Menstrual Cycle
Those that are not pregnant, may see bleeding after their menstrual cycle is complete. In the case of an irregular period, a pelvic exam should be considered. A doctor can focus on the main issue here, and can develop a path of action to prevent these from occurring again in the future. Doctors prescribe oral medications for vaginosis, and even topical creams to help with the symptoms. Within a short span of time, these things can be cleared up, and a person may go back to normal overall. It’s something that is not complex, but it has to be detected, and treated before symptoms become too uncomfortable overall.
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