How to treat bacterial vaginosis during pregnancy

Bacterial vaginosis is one of the most frequent infections during pregnancy and usually happens due to hormonal changes that cause an imbalance in vaginal bacteria, generating symptoms such as a foul smell and a grayish discharge.

Although this infection does not affect the baby's development, it can increase the risk of having a premature birth or even of the baby being born with low weight, for example. So, in case of any vaginal changes, it is very important to consult the obstetrician or gynecologist to identify if there is a problem and start the most appropriate treatment.

Main symptoms

In most cases, bacterial vaginosis does not cause any symptoms and, therefore, many women end up discovering the infection only during a routine examination at the gynecologist or obstetrician.

However, other women may experience symptoms such as:

• Foul smell, similar to rotten fish; White or grayish discharge; Burning with urine; Redness and itching in the genital region.

These symptoms can also be confused with candidiasis and, therefore, it is very important to make the diagnosis in the doctor, since both problems have different treatment. Check out candidiasis symptoms and how to treat these cases.

How to confirm the diagnosis

The doctor can arrive at the diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis only by assessing the symptoms presented by the pregnant woman, however, a discharge test can also be done to assess whether there are bacteria.

How the treatment is done

Treatment for bacterial vaginosis should always be guided by an obstetrician or gynecologist and is usually done when the pregnant woman has symptoms or is at great risk of having a premature birth, for example.

Thus, treatment can be done with the use of oral antibiotics, such as Clindamycin or Metronidazole, for 7 days or with the application of antibiotics in ointment for about 5 days. The treatment time must be respected according to the doctor's instructions, even if the symptoms disappear beforehand.

What to do to not get vaginosis

Since vaginosis arises due to natural changes in the vaginal flora during pregnancy, there is no specific way to prevent the onset of this infection. However, some precautions that can help prevent its onset appear to be:

• Use a condom if you have more than one sexual partner; Do adequate intimate hygiene; Do not do vaginal showers without the doctor's advice.

In addition, women who smoke also appear to have an increased risk of vaginosis, so during pregnancy it is very important to avoid smoking, not only because of vaginosis, but to ensure a better development of the baby.