Women receive recommendations to closely monitor the nature of vaginal discharge during pregnancy for a reason, because this symptom is often the first, and sometimes the only symptom of possible complications. Vaginal secretion is a physiological environment that is necessary for self-cleaning of the genital tract, to maintain their condition.
Allocation consists of the secretion of the cervix and substances that the vaginal mucosa secretes. With any violation in the course of pregnancy in the second trimester, the nature of the discharge will begin to change.
Normal
In the first trimester, the female body goes through complex adaptation processes, under the influence of huge doses of progesterone, the secretions are usually scarce. They are often referred to as the "dry" or "semi-dry" period. Therefore, in the second trimester, expectant mothers have a lot of questions about why the discharge has become different. For the second trimester, an increase in the amount of vaginal secretions is characteristic. This means that there is more discharge., and this fact itself should not frighten a woman.
Most abundant discharge becomes by 23-25 weeks of pregnancy, and this is in a certain way connected with the hormonal processes that occur in the body of the expectant mother, as well as with an increase in the amount of blood circulating in her body. It is by the 24th week that the amount of blood in the woman's body becomes maximum, the placenta works at full capacity, creating, in fact, an additional circle of blood circulation - the uteroplacental.
The fetus in the uterus is protected not only by the membranes, waters and the placenta. A mucous plug that clogs the cervical canal of the cervix, which connects the vagina and the uterine cavity, also protects it from the penetration of microbes and viruses into the uterus. Increased secretion of the cervix and vagina in the second trimester is another defense reaction, because the normal, healthy microenvironment of vaginal discharge is an obstacle for many pathogens.
The amount of discharge increases in all pregnant women in the middle of the gestation period. For some, the discharge does not cause significant anxiety and inconvenience, for others, due to the constant feeling of moisture in the perineum, noticeable discomfort appears.
The amount of discharge is individual, and comparing it in one woman with the amount of secretion of another is a futile exercise.
It is important to know that normal discharge in the second trimester has the following symptoms:
- they are uniform in consistency, do not have clots, inclusions, impurities, lumps;
- by color - light, whitish or transparent, a slight yellowish tint is allowed due to the effect of progesterone;
- there is no smell or there is an unexpressed slight smell, reminiscent of kefir;
- even abundant discharge does not cause itching, discomfort in the perineum, redness.
The presence of leucorrhoea is allowed, again not giving the woman any discomfort.
As you approach the end of the second trimester, the discharge becomes thinner, and this is normal. So the body of a pregnant woman prepares for childbirth, cleansing the genital tract before this important process.
In the second trimester, any other discharge, bloody, mucus, or clotted is considered abnormal.
Let's look at what a discharge that differs from the norm can talk about.
White
Leucorrhoea are different by themselves.
- If appeared thick and patchy, very profuse leucorrhoea mixed with a watery character, it can be a manifestation of tubal leucorrhoea that occurs with inflammation of the fallopian tubes. The second trimester is rare, but it can happen.
- Leucorrhoea called cervical, they usually occur with infections that have struck the cervix.
- Abundant vaginal leucorrhoea with bloody or purulent blotches talk about an inflammatory process in the vaginal membrane. If the leucorrhoea began to resemble cottage cheese, itching and the smell of yeast appeared - we are talking about thrush, which can also manifest itself in the second trimester of pregnancy against the background of a decrease in immunity.
Thrush (candidiasis) must be treated.
- Discharge white, copious and thin, translucent, which intensify after a woman spends some time at rest in a horizontal position, may indicate that the integrity of the membranes is violated and water began to leak. There is no need to panic. Modern medicine has many opportunities to maintain a pregnancy even in such a situation - you just need to call an "ambulance" and get to the hospital as soon as possible. The woman is shown staying in a sterile ward, changing pads every 3 hours, strict bed rest. She will be injected with drugs with a tocolytic effect. There is a high probability that the damaged amniotic membranes will be able to contract and their integrity will be restored.
- Thick white discharge without itching, heterogeneous in their consistency, may indicate the presence of an allergic reaction to soap, intimate hygiene products, to pads, to lubricants that a couple uses during sexual intercourse, as well as to some types of food. It is important to find the cause of the allergy and eliminate it.
Violation of the consistency or amount of white discharge in the second trimester may be the result of the expectant mother's great love for douching.
Brown
Discharge of this color cannot be the norm in the second trimester under any circumstances. Their appearance in combination with an increased uterine tone for up to 22 weeks indicates the threat of late miscarriage, and after 22 weeks - about the threat of premature birth.
Smearing brown discharge is most often caused by a deficiency of progesterone in the body of the expectant mother, there are also other reasons: stress, lack of sleep, excessive physical activity, heart and kidney problems from the expectant mother. Discharge alone rarely indicates a threat; there are usually other symptoms of worsening of the condition - lower back pain, pulling pains in the lower abdomen, pain radiating to the rectum and sacrum.
The sooner a woman seeks help from a doctor, the more likely it is that late miscarriage or premature birth will be avoided.
Green, gray
Allocations of this color must necessarily force a woman to see a doctor. They are usually combined with an unpleasant odor reminiscent of rotten fish.
The allocation of such colors indicates the presence of a bacterial infection in the genital tract.... The condition is unpleasant and rather dangerous, the main risk is the likelihood of intrauterine infection of the fetus. A swab from the vagina will be enough to establish both the presence of an infection and the type of pathogen, which will help to choose the correct and approved antibiotic for the gestational age for effective and fast treatment.
Blood
All secretions that contain erythrocytes are classified as blood. It is pink, cream, orange and brown discharge. The most dangerous are the scarlet discharge. They most often indicate such a dangerous condition as placental abruption. The more abundant the bleeding, the higher the likelihood of extensive detachment, which threatens the child with death, and the mother - heavy bleeding.
If there is blood discharge in any quantity, of any shade and consistency, a woman should immediately call an ambulance.
Useful Tips
Given that the amount of discharge in the second trimester increases, a woman should be more attentive to issues of personal intimate hygiene. The vaginal secretion is a breeding ground in which pathogenic bacteria can reproduce perfectly, and therefore it is important to wash with warm water twice (and, if necessary, three times) a day, do not use soap too often - this can lead to overdrying of the delicate skin of the external genital organs.
From the second trimester of pregnancy better to start using sanitary pads... Choose any based on the amount of secretions and considerations of ease of use.
It is strictly forbidden to use tampons, they do not allow vaginal secretions to come out calmly, which can lead to a severe inflammatory process in a woman's genital tract and intrauterine infection.
It's better to forget about douching in the second trimester. - excessive enthusiasm for them can cause a disruption of the natural balance of the vaginal flora to the development of vaginal dysbiosis.
Do not wear too tight synthetic fabrics. Loose panties made from natural cotton will help to provide air flow and prevent diaper rash and inflammation of the external genital organs.
Proper care of the perineal area will help to avoid certain diseases of the urinary system, such as cystitis or urethritis.
Also, a woman in mid-pregnancy can be given the following recommendations.
- You shouldn't change your sexual partner. The new man has a different microflora, he does not "get used" to this woman.
- During sex, do not use lubricants, lubricants, as they can cause allergies, and also disrupt the composition of the natural environment of the genital tract. During sex and masturbation, you should not allow abrupt and sloppy movements - you can injure the mucous membranes of the vagina and the cervix.
- If a woman is going to swim in the second trimester in the river or in the sea, it is worth buying special antiseptic liners in the swimsuit in advance.
If a woman has unusual discharge that differs from the norm, it is important not to self-medicate, not to take any medication without the agreement of a doctor.
