Is it possible to get pregnant with thrush and how to do it

The causative agent of thrush, or vulvovaginal candidiasis, is a fungus of the genus Candida, which belongs to the opportunistic flora. In 80% of cases, the pathogen enters the human body already in the first year of life.

More often, the baby receives it while passing through the birth canal from the mother. The source could also be dad, another relative, or simply surrounding objects - toys, dishes.

The fungus can exist peacefully for a lifetime without causing any discomfort. But under certain conditions, when the balance of microflora is disturbed, fungi begin to multiply intensively, and symptoms known to the average person as thrush appear.

There is a high risk of developing thrush in people with weakened immune systems and chronic diseases.

The immune system in the modern world works at the limit of its capabilities; various pathogenic organisms constantly strive to penetrate the body. Therefore, when additional stress arises, sometimes it fails.

These additional reasons include:

• chronic fatigue, severe stressful situations;
• taking medications - antibiotics, cytostatics, hormones, including oral contraceptives;
• exacerbation of chronic diseases - bronchitis, bronchial asthma, gastritis, etc.;
• severe diseases of the endocrine system - diabetes mellitus, ovarian dysfunction, thyroid disease;
• congenital or acquired (HIV) immunodeficiency;
• errors in nutrition - abuse of flour, sweet, spicy, fried, alcohol;
• smoking.

One of the natural conditions that increases the risk of the appearance and recurrence of thrush is pregnancy. During pregnancy, the composition of the vaginal flora and hormonal levels change, which contributes to the proliferation of candida.

Thrush and conception

However, certain conditions are created that can prevent pregnancy with thrush.

So, for example, with thrush, the pH shifts significantly to the acidic side, and for sperm this is detrimental, i.e. they are immobilized and destroyed even before they penetrate the uterine cavity.

It becomes clear that thrush interferes with getting pregnant in the presence of clear manifestations and lack of treatment.

And of course, last but not least is the restriction in sexual life, which occurs due to itching, burning, pain during sexual intercourse - the woman simply avoids sexual relations.

And even if the sperm breaks into the uterine cavity and tubes and reaches the egg, there is a risk that it will carry the pathogen and a large number of leukocytes - and this is fraught with damage to the genetic material of the germ cells, cell inferiority and termination of pregnancy in the early stages - in fact, even before the woman suspects its presence.

Treatment

Preparing for pregnancy includes the following activities:

• sanitation of foci of chronic infection;
• normalization of hormonal levels;
• elimination of candidiasis;
• taking vitamin and mineral complexes;
• treatment of somatic diseases (diabetes mellitus, arterial hypertension, hepatitis).

After candidiasis is cured, it is necessary to undergo tests for several months in a row. If the results do not show any abnormalities, you can plan a pregnancy. The doctor is often asked: is it possible to get pregnant with thrush? It is possible to conceive with candidiasis, but it is not advisable. In cases where conception occurs due to illness, medications are immediately started.

Is it possible to take medications while pregnant? Therapy during pregnancy has some difficulties. Treatment of candidiasis in the first trimester is the most difficult. During this period, the formation of all organs and systems occurs, so it is not advisable to take any medications. However, there are suppositories that can be safely used in the first trimester. The longer the pregnancy, the greater the arsenal of drugs for treatment.

Medications

Therapy lasts from 7 to 14 days. Preference is given to topical drugs. They are not absorbed into the blood and do not enter the placental bloodstream. Medicines can eliminate itching, burning, and copious discharge that appear with thrush. Pregnant women use the drugs presented in the table. The drug is selected taking into account the duration of pregnancy and the individual characteristics of the woman.

This is interesting: What is candidiasis: its causes, symptoms and treatment?

Pimafucin is a drug containing the active ingredient natamycin. The drug is approved for use at any stage of gestation. For 7 days, 1 suppository is administered at night. Clotrimazole is a product containing the substance of the same name. It is prescribed only after 3 months of pregnancy. The course of treatment is 6 days. The drug is administered at night, one vaginal tablet.

In addition to antifungal drugs, a local antiseptic, Betadine, is prescribed. It contains povidone iodine. Betadine is prescribed only in the first trimester. The drug is administered once a day for one week. The drug is used with caution, as it crosses the placenta. There is a risk of fetal hyperthyroidism or hypersensitivity to iodine.

Diet

Be sure to follow a diet. It should contain vegetables, fruits, boiled meat, cereals, fermented milk products (kefir, cottage cheese, yogurt). Completely exclude fatty foods, spices, smoked foods, sweets made from yeast dough, and chocolate. These products promote the growth of fungi. A woman’s diet should be varied and contain the required amount of proteins and fats. Carbohydrates should be natural - from fruits or vegetables. Sufficient physical activity is also necessary - staying in the fresh air, walking.

To normalize intestinal function, it is important to consume fiber. It can be in plant foods or in the form of a ready-made pharmaceutical preparation. With frequent constipation, intestinal dysbiosis develops. It affects the microflora of all pelvic organs.

Features of treatment

Therapy for vaginal candidiasis has the following features:

• Use only ointments and suppositories.
• Antimycotic agents in tablets are used according to strict indications.
• Douching is prohibited.
• The course of treatment lasts up to 1 week.

Probiotics must be included in the treatment regimen for thrush. These include local agents (Acyclac, Bifidumbacterin) and systemic ones (Enterozermina, Linex). The preparations contain lacto- and bifidobacteria. They populate the vaginal mucosa and prevent pathogenic microorganisms from developing. Local remedies (suppositories) are used 2 times a day for 10 days. Systemic probiotics are prescribed for 10-14 days. The usual dose of Linex is 2 capsules 3 times a day.

Even following a diet, a hygienic regime and the use of suppositories cannot lead to a complete recovery. Topical medications treat the symptoms, not the candida. This leads to frequent relapses and the need for re-treatment. Sometimes a fungal infection in a pregnant woman is treated every month. Since pregnancy with thrush is possible, it is necessary to sanitize the vagina before childbirth.

Does candidiasis interfere with conceiving a baby? If the disease is in an inactive state (latent or latent infection) and proceeds under the supervision of a doctor, the fertilization process occurs unhindered. As gestational age increases, the infection may become active. If there is heavy discharge, an unpleasant sour odor, or itching, you need to take a smear to check the microflora.

Can you get pregnant with thrush?

You can get pregnant with thrush, but the question arises: is it necessary? Any infection, incl. and thrush, can have a bad effect on the course of pregnancy.

Of course, if the pregnancy occurs spontaneously and it is desired, it is not worth interrupting it due to thrush, but it is necessary to undergo treatment. Well, if a woman is planning a pregnancy and suddenly has thrush, she needs to be treated and plan a pregnancy in the next cycle.

It is problematic to plan pregnancy for women with chronic recurrent candidiasis. Their question of whether thrush interferes with pregnancy interests them more than others.

After all, you cannot be sure that the treated process in this cycle will not return in the next one, therefore, treatment in this case must be approached more carefully, using not only medications, but also paying attention to stabilizing the immune system, restoring microflora, and proper nutrition.

Causes of thrush

There are many factors for the spread of Candida. The first is poor hygiene, both general and during sexual intercourse. Tight, rubbing underwear, especially made from synthetic fabrics, also provokes candidiasis. A general decrease in the immunity of the female body, treatment with antibiotics, some diseases, especially diabetes, as a rule, also upset the balance of the flora of the genital area. Even poor nutrition and abuse of carbohydrates lead to unpleasant consequences.

Troubles from fungal imbalance can begin in both women who have given birth and girls. Therefore, the question arises about whether it is possible to get pregnant if a girl has thrush.

How to plan conception with thrush?

If a woman who is planning a pregnancy, despite complete well-being, suddenly develops thrush, conception should be postponed until the next cycle. Be sure to visit a gynecologist and get tested.

This will allow you to determine whether it is actually thrush, or whether a more serious infection is hiding under its mask. After the tests, if the diagnosis is confirmed, the specialist prescribes treatment. In this particular case, you can also treat your sexual partner so that re-infection does not occur during the treatment process. If the episode is primary, preference should be given to local forms - suppositories, vaginal tablets, vaginal creams.

Oral medications are, of course, effective, but given their effect on the liver and, in principle, on the body, it is better to avoid them when planning pregnancy.

The course of treatment with local remedies is carried out strictly according to the instructions to avoid recurrence of thrush. A week after the last suppository, you need to take a test to make sure you are cured. With good tests, you can work on conception already during the next ovulation.

Does thrush affect conception in the most direct sense of the question? More likely no than yes, which is confirmed by many years of experience. Even if there is thrush, a woman can easily become pregnant.

Another thing is that during thrush, certain changes occur in the body that can affect the development of pregnancy.

Thrush during pregnancy

So, candida was unable to prevent pregnancy and instead of the question, is it possible to get pregnant with thrush, another question arose - how should a pregnant woman with thrush behave? The manifestations of thrush during pregnancy are similar to candidiasis in non-pregnant women.

Sometimes, given the decrease in immunity, the severity of the local inflammatory reaction is less pronounced - the woman has no complaints. And thrush is detected during examination in the speculum - on the walls of the vagina the doctor sees abundant cheesy deposits of various colors - from pale yellow to green. The diagnosis is confirmed after receiving a response from a routine smear.

If a woman’s body fights the pathogen, local reactions – swelling, itching, burning – are quite pronounced and cause the woman some discomfort. When urinating, the pain intensifies. The discharge is copious and cheesy.

Features of the course of thrush during pregnancy include its frequent relapses. Since one of the links in the fight against thrush is significantly affected (immunity), it is difficult to fight it during pregnancy.

If we add to this the limited choice of antifungal drugs (most drugs are contraindicated for pregnant women), treating thrush in expectant mothers becomes a very difficult task.

What is candidiasis

Planning a pregnancy is a responsible activity that requires a woman to pay close attention to her health, because many diseases, especially sexually transmitted infections, can create problems for the expectant mother.
You should not diagnose yourself, but it is necessary to know the nature of the disease and its manifestations. Candida is not a pathogenic element initially and is part of the natural composition of the human microflora. But excessive proliferation of this fungus against the background of beneficial bacteria leads to a diagnosable disease.

The acute form of thrush manifests itself very noticeably for a woman. Curdled clots form not only plaque, but also copious discharge. The process sometimes causes unbearable itching and swollen redness in the vaginal area. The process of urination becomes difficult due to burning sensation. Discomfort in a woman often becomes a reason that interferes with sexual intercourse.

In the chronic form of candidiasis, relapse may occur during the IVF protocol. The main cause of exacerbation is hormonal therapy. If thrush occurs before the embryo transfer, and the woman has time, then it is necessary to immediately begin therapy, which will be prescribed by the doctor. Modern medications for the treatment of vaginal candidiasis have different periods of use. For a number of medications, it is enough to take just once to say goodbye to unpleasant cheesy discharge.

When IVF has already been performed, and thrush has manifested itself due to the use of progesterone, you should wait a while. After confirmation of implantation of the transferred cells, the decision to carry out antifungal therapy is made by the doctor. The doctor weighs the pros and cons, selecting medications that are safe for a pregnant woman.

The fungus can also recur in late pregnancy after IVF. It is necessary to carry out prevention throughout the entire gestational period, and if symptoms of thrush appear, contact a gynecologist.