[Importance of microbiologic examination of vaginal secretions in the reproductive period].

Abstract

Vaginal infections, during reproductive period are frequent and although not life treating, they can affect their normal functions. They can also affect women's fertility as well as the course of pregnancy. The outcome of pregnancy can be endangered due to the possibility of infection of newborn while passing trough birth canal of the infected mother. As statistically shown, bacterial vaginosis is considerably more often found with the patients having precancerous changes on cervix, or diagnosed cancer of cervix, comparing with women with healthy cervix. It can also cause the appearance of postoperative pelvic cellulitis after hysterectomy. On the other side, the presence of S. agalactiae in vaginal secretion may cause very serious and lethal infections of the newborn such as meningitis, pneumonia and sepsis. As for protozoa T. vaginalis it has been shown that it could cause reduced fertility ability and that during pregnancy it could damage fetal membranes and bring to its premature rupture and premature birth. There is also increased risk of cervix cancer. During reproductive period of women especially if risk factors are existing such as hormone therapy, diabetes mellitus type 1 and applications of wide range antibiotics, vaginal fungal infections caused by Candida can frequently appear. These infection apart from the discomfort like itch and affluent secretion they can also mean diagnostic and therapeutical problem. Regular microbiological test of women are highly recommended during reproductive period as standard for bacterial vaginosis, fungal and trichomonas infections. If those results appear negative, further microbiological tests are necessary. Such tests which are more elaborate, more timely and more expensive are referring to tests on chlamydia, microplasma and some viruses that can also be the cause of vaginal secretion disbalance in women during reproductive period.

• Authors: Valentina Arsić-Arsenijević, Ivana Radonjić, Vera Mijac, Ivana Cirković
• Journal: Srpski arhiv za celokupno lekarstvo (Srp Arh Celok Lek) 2004 Jan-Feb Vol. 132 Issue 1-2 Pg. 44-9 ISSN: 0370-8179 [Print] Serbia
• Vernacular Title: Znacaj mikrobioloskog ispitivanja vaginalnog sekreta u reproductivnom periodu.
• PMID: 15227966 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Review)

Topics

• Adult
• Female
• Humans
• Vagina (metabolism, microbiology)
• Vaginosis, Bacterial (complications, diagnosis)