Vaginal infection during pregnancy – How dangerous is it? | Vaginal infection

Vaginal infection during pregnancy – How dangerous is it?

During pregnancy, infections of any kind are particularly feared, as some can endanger the integrity of the child. Some vaginal infections can also have a negative influence on pregnancy and should therefore be treated. The frequent fungal infection is not one of them.

It is harmless and does not endanger the pregnancy. Nevertheless, it should be treated because it is extremely disturbing and attacks the vaginal flora. Bacterial vaginosis, on the other hand, must be treated in any case, as it has been proven to be associated with premature birth.

Untreated gonorrhea can lead to an infection of the conjunctiva in the newborn, which is known as gonococcal conjunctivitis. Chlamydia or herpes viruses can also cause such inflammation of the eyes. However, these infections only pose a problem at birth, as the pathogen can then be transmitted to the child. The infections are treated as part of the preventive medical check-ups, so that such a course can be prevented. A vaginal infection does not pose a direct threat to pregnancy or early pregnancy in the sense of a miscarriage or developmental disorder of the child.

How contagious is a vaginal infection?

It is not possible to vaccinate against vaginal infections in general. For some years now, there has been a vaccination against various strains of the Human Papilloma Virus – HPV virus for short. This vaccination, often called cervical cancer vaccination, protects against infection with different strains of the HPV virus.

A vaccination effectively prevents the development of cervical cancer in women who are not yet infected and is therefore recommended by the permanent vaccination commission (STIKO). It should be completed before the first sexual intercourse, as the probability of an existing infection increases after that.