Vaginal discharge may be normal

Most of the time, vaginal discharge is normal. The amount of discharge can vary based on many different factors. A normal vaginal discharge will vary in color from clear to milky, depending on the stage of your menstrual cycle. There will be more discharge when you are breastfeeding, ovulating or sexually aroused. The odor of the discharge can vary during the different stages of you menstrual cycle too. This is because hormones are one variable that can change throughout the month. Increased levels of estrogen are responsible for the increased amount of clear, stretchy cervical secretions seen around ovulation. After ovulation, the vaginal discharge tends to become less watery and may look more like paste. The odor may be different during pregnancy or with bad personal hygiene. None of those changes is cause for alarm.

You want to be concerned if there is a significantly unusual color, odor or consistency of the vaginal discharge, or if there is any itching or burning. There are many different things that can happen to cause a change in the balance of the normal bacteria in the vagina. When this happens, it can affect the smell, color and texture of the discharge. Some of the many things that can upset this balance are medications, diabetes, menopause, douching, soaps, lotions, bubble baths and cervical cancer. Infections that will upset the balance are bacterial vaginosis, PID (pelvic inflammatory disease) and yeast infections. Some STD’s will also cause change in vaginal discharge. The STD’s that commonly cause this are gonorrhea, chlamydia, and trichomoniasis.

There are some things that you can do to prevent vaginal infections that can lead to abnormal vaginal discharge. Good personal hygiene is the most important, keep the vagina clean with regular bathing using a gentle soap and warm water. Always make sure that all of the soaps, feminine sprays and bubble baths are not scented. Do not douche. Douching is linked to an increased incidence of bacterial vaginosis. Douching decreases the concentrations of good bacteria in the vagina. After using the restroom, always wipe from front to back, to make sure bacteria is not wiped from the rectum to the vagina. Make sure to wear white, all cotton panties. These are just some of the simple things that can be done daily for good personal hygiene.

STD Testing During Pregnancy

Having an STD during pregnancy can be extremely dangerous to both the mother and the unborn child, and sometimes even fatal to the child. STD’s can passed on by sexual contact involving the mouth, anus or vagina. Testing for STD’s is a standard process during the first office visit with an OB/GYN after finding out a woman is expecting. It is crucial that if an STD is diagnosed that it is treated along with any sexual partners. If your partner is not treated, reinfection will occur. Make sure and use protection for a week after both partners have been treated to give the infection time to clear up.

If a woman is diagnosed with Chlamydia and/or Gonorrhea during pregnancy, she might not experience any symptoms at all. Chlamydia is the most commonly diagnosed STD. People infected with Chlamydia often are also infected with Gonorrhea. If there are slight symptoms seen with Chlamydia, often they appear as a slight discharge or lower abdominal pain. If Chlamydia is left untreated, it can cause preterm labor or postpartum endometriosis (inflammation of the uterus). If Chlamydia is passed on the child during delivery it may cause pneumonia or conjunctivitis, which can lead to blindness. The symptoms of Gonorrhea might be discharge, itching or burning with urination. If Gonorrhea is passed on the baby, it too can cause eye problems that can lead to blindness. Gonorrhea and Chlamydia both carry an increased risk of miscarriage. Both STD’s can be treated with antibiotics.

Genital Herpes can be very dangerous. Herpes can be passed on to the baby during a vaginal delivery and can cause damage to the eyes and the central nervous system. In some cases it can even cause death to the child. If the woman contracts Herpes for the first time during pregnancy near the time of delivery, it may cause premature labor or restict intrauterine growth. In this case there is a 1 in 2 chance that it will be passed on to the baby. This risk can be reduced by cesarean delivery.

Condyloma, better known as Genital Warts, is caused by HPV, and there might not be any symptoms for months or even years. Babies that contract the virus can develop warts on the larynx (voice box), usually by the time they reach five years old. Performing a c-section is only done if the warts are so large that they interfere with a vaginal delivery. Treatment for the mother will be postponed until after the child is born.

Syphilis can cause miscarriage or stillbirth and if it is transmitted to the fetus, it can cause skin lesions or problems with the spleen, liver, bones or central nervous system. There are antibiotics that can be given during pregnancy to lower the risk of transmitting the infection to the fetus and stop the progression in the mother.

Hepatits B has many different symptoms that can occur, some of which are fatigue, nausea, vomiting, dark urine, grey stools, or jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes). The body will either fight the virus and build up anitbodies or if the body can not build up antibodies to it, the person becomes a chronic carrier. A chronic carrier can infect their child through the placenta. Women with Hepatitis B are more likely to have a premature delivery. An injection will be given to the newborn baby to immunize them from becoming infected.

HIV is increasing in women worldwide. Women account for 50% of the 40 million adults living with HIV/AIDS. A woman that has been exposed to HIV may not have symptoms for years and can still infect others, including her child. HIV can be passed on to an unborn child while still in the uterus, during delivery and after delivery through breastfeeding. Over 90% of children with AIDS contracted HIV from their mother. A c-section will decrease the risk of infecting the child. A child born with HIV, might not have symptoms for years. HIV may develop into AIDS, and the only way to know if you have HIV is an HIV test. If a woman is HIV positive and does not take any medications during pregnancy to prevent transmission to the baby, there is a 25% chance of passing the virus on the unborn child. If medications are taken, the risk is then lowered to less than 2%.

All pregnant women need to be tested. If there has been an exposure, start on anti-viral medication as soon as possible. If you are given medication to treat any STD, make sure you take the full prescription, even if symptoms have gone away. The only sure form of protection is abstinence. If there is any sexual activity, practice safe sex. Always use a condom with spermicide. Make sure if you use a lubricant that it is water based. It is better to limit the number of sexual partners, the more partner, the higher the risk of contracting an STD. Everyone should practice monogamy, meaning having sex with only one person. That person must also have sex with only you to reduce the risk. If someone is sexually active, they should get STD testing regularly.