Management of Abnormal Vaginal Discharge in Pregnancy

Abstract

Abnormal vaginal discharge in a pregnant woman causes discomfort and increases risk of complications. Management of such patient is difficult as the physician will need to distinguish leucorrhoea of pregnancy from pathological vaginal discharge and also to decide on the drugs to prescribe that are not contraindicated in pregnancy. The objective of the study is to discuss the prevalence, causes and treatment of abnormal vaginal discharge in pregnant women. Searches from PubMed and using other scientific search engines were performed. The chapter was supported with findings from the authors’ previous study on the same topic. In the study, high vaginal and endocervical swab samples were collected from 400 pregnant women with complaints of abnormal vaginal discharge and another 400 controls. The result showed that the prevalence of abnormal vaginal discharge in pregnancy was 31.5%. Vulval pruritus, 200 (75%), was a significant feature (χ2 = 1.011, P < 0.001), and Candida albicans, 160 (40%), was the commonest cause. Although antibiotic sensitivity testing was not done for Candida albicans, all the microorganisms were sensitive to Augmentin® The prevalence of abnormal vaginal discharge in pregnancy was high and C. albicans was the commonest cause. Assessment of pregnant woman complaining of vaginal discharge for aetiology is necessary in order to give an appropriate treatment.