Most Common Sexually Transmitted Disease.

Following are the most common sexually transmitted diseases:

•   monilial vulvovaginitis
•   trichomonal vaginitis
•   condylomata acuminatum (venereal warts)
•   genital herpes simplex infection
•   chlamydia
•   gonorrhea
•   syphilis
•   HIV/AIDS

What kind of problems can yeast infections cause during pregnancy?
This STD has no major negative effects on pregnancy, but it can cause discomfort for you.

How are yeast infections treated during pregnancy?
Yeast infections may be harder to control when you're pregnant. They may require frequent re treatment or longer treatment (10 to 14 days instead of 3 to 7 days). Vaginal creams or suppositories used for treatment are safe during pregnancy, although most physicians recommend avoiding treatment during the 1st trimester. Your partner does not have to be treated unless he has symptoms.

I've heard of a pill I only have to take once to clear up a yeast infection. Can I take it during pregnancy?
You're talking about Diflucan (fluconazole), an antifungal drug. Unfortunately, we are not recommending it during pregnancy or breastfeeding because it has not yet been proved safe for use in either situation.

What kinds of problems can a yeast infection cause the baby?
A newborn infant can get thrush (a mouth infection) after passing through a birth canal infected with a yeast infection. Treatment of the newborn with nystatin is effective.

Trichomonal Vaginitis
What is trichomonal vaginitis?
Trichomonal vaginitis is a venereal infection caused by parasites called trichomonas. Symptoms include persistent burning and itching of the vulva area accompanied by a frothy white or yellow discharge.

What kind of problems can trichomonal vaginitis cause during pregnancy?
This infection has no major effects on a pregnancy.

Why is treatment of trichomonal vaginitis a concern during pregnancy?
Metronidazole, the drug used to treat trichomonal vaginitis, should not be taken during the 1st trimester of pregnancy. It is prescribed after the 1st trimester. The same recommendation applies to metronidazole in oral form or gel form.

Venereal Warts
What are venereal warts?
They are skin tags or warts that are transmitted by sexual contact. They are also called condyloma or condylomata acuminatum.

What causes these warts?
They are caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV), which is passed during sexual intercourse.

Why are venereal warts a problem during pregnancy?
Warty skin tags can become enlarged during pregnancy; in rare cases, they block the vagina at the time of delivery. If a woman has extensive venereal warts, a Cesarean delivery may be necessary to avoid heavy bleeding and other complications.

How can venereal warts affect a baby?
Infants delivered through a birth canal infected with venereal warts have been known to get small benign tumors on the vocal cords (laryngeal papillomas) after delivery.

Can venereal warts be treated during pregnancy?
Often they can be. Doctors use several methods to treat them, including freezing the warts off, laser therapy and chemical removal. If warts become large enough to interfere with delivery, your doctor may recommend removing them. With the exception of one chemical irritant, podophyllin, all three treatment methods have been used safely during pregnancy.

Herpes
What is genital herpes simplex infection?
Genital herpes simplex infection is herpes that involves the genital area. It can be significant during pregnancy because of the danger of infecting a newborn with the disease at the time of delivery.

What are the symptoms of genital herpes?
Usually clusters of small blisters appear in the genital area within a week after infection. At first the blisters are itchy, then they become sore and break, leaving painful ulcers. Symptoms can also include aches and pains, fatigue, fever and a vaginal discharge. Symptoms usually disappear within 3 weeks. Subsequent outbreaks can occur at any time but are usually shorter and milder.

What kind of problems can herpes cause a mother-to-be?
Infection early in pregnancy may be associated with an increase in miscarriage or premature delivery.

What kind of problems can herpes cause the baby?
Infection in the mother is associated with low birth weight. We believe an infant can contract the infection when traveling through an infected birth canal. When membranes rupture, the infection may also travel upward to the uterus and infect the baby, resulting in fetal infections. Infected newborns have a mortality rate of 50%.

How can herpes simplex be treated during pregnancy?
There is no effective treatment. Acyclovir may decrease the symptoms, but the safety of acyclovir in pregnancy has not been established.

If I have herpes, can I prevent my baby from becoming infected?
When a woman has an active herpes infection late in pregnancy, she will have a Cesarean section to prevent the infant from traveling through the infected birth canal.

How can I avoid getting genital herpes?
You must know your partner is free from infection. If your partner suspects he has herpes, he should see his doctor for treatment. If your partner has herpes or could have been exposed to it, the best way to avoid the disease is through abstinence from sex during outbreaks and having him wear a condom during intercourse.

Chlamydia
What is Chlamydia?
Chlamydia is a common sexually transmitted disease. It is estimated that between 3 and 5 million people are infected each year. Symptoms include vaginal discharge and pelvic pain. However, it can be symptom less you may not know you have been exposed. Between 20 and 40% of all sexually active women have been exposed at some time.

How can chlamydia affect pregnancy?
One of the most important complications of chlamydia is pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). This is a severe infection of the female organs that can make it more difficult for you to get pregnant. If you have had PID, your chance of having an ectopic pregnancy is greater. During pregnancy, a mother-to-be can pass a chlamydial infection to her baby as it travels through the birth canal. The baby will have a 20 to 50% chance of getting chlamydia.

How does a chlamydial infection affect the baby?
A baby exposed to chlamydia may be born with an eye infection or pneumonia.

If chlamydia is often symptom less, how will I know I have it?
You can have tests, including a pelvic exam and a cervical swab.

How is chlamydia treated?
Treatment usually involves tetracycline, which should not be given to a pregnant woman. During pregnancy, erythromycin is the drug of choice.

Gonorrhea
What is gonorrhea?
Gonorrhea is a venereal infection transmitted primarily by sexual intercourse. In a woman, the urethra, vulva, vagina and Fallopian tubes may be involved. However, there may be no symptoms of the disease.

How can gonorrhea affect the baby?
The baby may be infected as it passes through the birth canal, resulting in eye inflammation. Eye drops are routinely used in newborns to prevent this problem. Other infections in the baby may also occur.

How is gonorrhea treated during pregnancy?
Gonorrheal infections are treated with penicillin and other medications that are safe to use during pregnancy.

Syphilis
What is syphilis?
Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease characterized by lesions
that may involve any organ or tissue. The disease may be present for
years without symptoms.

How can syphilis affect pregnancy?
Syphilis increases the chance of stillbirth. It can also cause various infections in the newborn. Any stage of syphilis during pregnancy can result in infection in an infant.

How can syphilis be treated during pregnancy?
Syphilis can be treated effectively during pregnancy with penicillin and other medications that are safe to use.

AIDS
I know that AIDS affects more women today. How does pregnancy affect AIDS?
Pregnancy may hide some of the symptoms of AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome), which can make the disease harder to discover. Some treatments may not be used during pregnancy.

Can a woman infected with AIDS pass it to her baby?
It is possible for a woman to pass HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, to the baby before birth, during birth and, if she breastfeeds, after birth. However, transference of HIV from mother to baby occurs most often during delivery.

How can a woman find out if she has AIDS or is positive for HIV?
Two blood tests are used the ELISA test and the Western blot test. If the ELISA test is positive, it is confirmed by the Western blot test. Both tests measure antibodies to the virus, not the virus itself. The Western blot test is believed to be 99% sensitive and specific.

Are there any new tests available?
Yes, there are. A test called the EIA (enzyme isoenzyme assay) can be done instead of the ELISA test. To confirm the diagnosis of HIV, in addition to the Western blot test, a doctor can now order an IFA (immunofluorescent assay).

I've heard that if a woman is given AZT during pregnancy, the baby almost always will be born without AIDS. Is this true?
Research has shown that AZT treatment can decrease the likelihood that an infected mother will pass the infection to her baby. According to a study released by the National Institutes of Child Health and Human Development, if an HIV-positive woman takes AZT during pregnancy and delivers by Cesarean section, her risk of passing the virus to her baby is almost none. Having a C-section alone cuts the risk of transmission of the disease by 50%.
If you are concerned about HIV and AIDS, discuss it with your doctor. Combinations of medications are being tested with some success.