Vaginal Infections During Pregnancy

Thanks to the surge in hormones that happens during pregnancy, moms-to-be are more susceptible to a host of vaginal infections. Here are the common culprits, along with how they're treated during pregnancy.

Lauren De Bellis

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What causes vaginal discharge in pregnancy?

Your body transforms in many ways when you're pregnant, and an increase in vaginal discharge just happens to be one of those (not-so-fun) changes. If the discharge is clear or white and odor-free, it's most likely caused by pregnancy hormones, and it's a sign that the vagina is healthy. But sometimes excess discharge signals an infection, which occurs when the natural balance of bacteria that lives in the vagina is disrupted. Four vaginal infections, ranging from common to more rare, can affect pregnant women: bacterial vaginosis (BV), yeast infections, Group B Strep (GBS), and trichomoniasis. The good news is that when vaginal infections are diagnosed promptly they're generally easy for doctors to treat. The tricky part is differentiating between normal discharge and discharge that signals an actual infection. Here, we break down the causes of each infection, the symptoms, the treatments, and preventative tips.

Next: Bacterial Vaginosis (BV):

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