Infections during pregnancy increase the risk of chorion detachment, spontaneous abortion, preterm birth, and intrauterine infection of the fetus. Does pregnancy weaken the immune system? Pregnancy is a unique situation when coexistence of two organisms with a different genome does not cause a decrease in immune responses. All indicators of immunity during pregnancy show almost or completely no change. But infection during pregnancy is more severe and causes many complications for the mother and fetus. A number of infections in the mother can be atypical and asymptomatic, but transmitted transplacentally, they contribute to severe damage to the fetus.
12.1. Bacterial vaginosis in pregnancy
Definition. General considerations. The term "bacterial vaginosis" refers to a common infectious, but not inflammatory syndrome associated with dysbiosis of the vaginal biotope, and characterized by an excessively high concentration of opportunistic obligate and facultative anaerobic organisms with a drastic decrease or absence of lactobacilli in the vagina.
The term "vaginosis" is due to the absence of white blood cells (cells responsible for inflammation).
Bacterial vaginosis is registered in 5-17% of healthy women and in 30-38% of patients complaining of vaginal discharge, presenting at women's health clinics and specialized clinics seeking care for STIs. Bacterial vaginosis develops in women under 25 years of age significantly more often. It is associated with risk factors for STIs (multiple sex partners, recent change of sex partner). In pregnant women, bacterial vaginosis is registered in 10-46%. Recent studies have shown an increase in the number of combined forms of bacterial vaginosis and candidiasis.