Borax in glycerin during pregnancy

A woman's body undergoes significant changes while bearing a new life. In particular, the work of the immune system is being restructured; this is necessary so that the female body does not reject the fetus as a foreign entity. But a decrease in immune defense also affects resistance to infections. Therefore, many women during this period are faced with the manifestation of thrush. How is this disease treated during pregnancy?

During pregnancy, it is important to select medications very carefully, since most drugs that are recommended for non-pregnant women are strictly contraindicated for expectant mothers.

So, to treat thrush, the doctor may recommend using sodium tetraborate (or, as they more often say, borax), dissolved in glycerin. This drug is considered outdated, but, as practice shows, it often gives a better therapeutic effect than modern drugs.

Composition and properties

Borax in glycerin is an antiseptic, which in pharmacology is called sodium tetraborate. The drug is based on boric acid.

It is used in the pharmaceutical, perfume, cosmetology and food industries. Borax in glycerin is available in the form of a solution of 5, 10 and 20% concentration. The duration of treatment with the drug is determined by the attending physician.

During pregnancy, borax in glycerin is prescribed in the form of a 5% solution. The same concentration of the drug is indicated for the treatment of oral thrush in a newborn.

The taste of the drug is neutral. It is not recommended to administer a more concentrated solution to expectant mothers, as it may have a toxic effect and cause side effects in a pregnant woman.

Borax in glycerin simultaneously has antifungal, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and insecticidal effects.

Is it worth treating?

Treatment of thrush is a difficult task, since this disease often recurs. Cure requires an integrated approach - the use of local and systemic antifungal agents, immunomodulators, drugs to restore healthy vaginal microflora, etc.

However, most of the drugs that doctors recommend for the treatment of candidiasis are strictly prohibited during pregnancy. In particular, pregnant women should not use systemic drugs due to the negative effect on the fetus.

But you cannot refuse treatment for candidiasis, especially in the last weeks of pregnancy. The fact is that if the birth canal is infected, then during childbirth there is a high risk of infection of the fetus.

For treatment during pregnancy, topical medications are usually used. One of them is sodium tetraborate, dissolved in glycerol. This remedy is not often prescribed these days, as the pharmaceutical industry offers more convenient forms. But many women who have tried using sodium tetraborate for treatment note that this remedy often works more effectively.

Indications and method of use

Indications for its use are:

thrush or vaginal candidiasis; Read more: thrush during pregnancy→
treatment and prevention of upper respiratory tract diseases;
skin irritation, diaper rash;
prevention of mosquito and tick bites.

To use borax in glycerin to treat thrush, you need to take a sterilized gynecological syringe, draw a small amount of medicinal solution into it and douche the vagina.

If you don’t have a syringe, you can apply the drug to a self-made cotton-gauze swab and insert it into the vagina for 30-60 minutes, depending on the doctor’s recommendation. It is advisable to carry out manipulation with the introduction of a tampon while lying down.

Some women simply soak a sterile bandage in borax with glycerin and wipe the vaginal walls and external genitalia, trying to remove all the characteristic plaque from a fungal infection. In principle, this method is also acceptable, but its effectiveness will be several times lower, since the active substance, boric acid, comes into contact with the mucous membrane for a short time.

Treatment of the mucous membranes of the genital organs can be carried out only after their hygiene. It is not recommended for expectant mothers to get carried away with douching, so to cleanse the intimate area, it is enough to use a weak solution of potassium permanganate or chamomile decoction.

The duration of the course of treatment and the frequency of procedures is determined by the doctor. Usually, with advanced thrush, douching or inserting tampons is carried out 3 times a day; after the symptoms of the disease improve, the number of procedures is reduced to one. The average course of treatment does not exceed one week.

Borax in glycerin quickly and permanently eliminates itching and hyperemia of the external genitalia and relieves discomfort. After a few days, the symptoms of vaginal candidiasis may disappear completely, but there is no need to refuse further treatment if it was recommended by your doctor.

It is important to complete all procedures to avoid remission of the disease.

This remedy cannot completely get rid of thrush, since it acts locally, only at the source of infection, but it can effectively stop the growth and multiplication of a fungal infection.

During pregnancy, this drug can become a real lifeline when the use of other medications is undesirable.

Reviews

The opinions of doctors on the use of this remedy by pregnant women are significantly divided. Some believe that this is already an outdated method, and there are many modern and safer means to combat thrush in pregnant women. And there are opinions that any drugs during pregnancy should be used with caution, and borax in glycerin justifies the risk due to its effectiveness in eliminating fungi. There are also doctors who are confident that the drug eliminates fungus with a gentle effect, unlike similar products.

And here are reviews of borax in glycerin during pregnancy from women who used it:

Olya, 25 years old

“I decided to use borax for thrush out of despair, since I was already tormented from this scourge. No matter what treatment I did, the thrush came back again! Imagine my relief when, after a 10-day course of treatment, all signs of the disease disappeared! They were afraid that tetraborate was harmful to pregnant women and could lead to serious consequences, but, thank God, nothing like that happened to me.”

Diana, 31 years old

“I used borax in glycerin at the first manifestations of thrush during pregnancy, since I consider this remedy to be the safest for me and my child. After a week's course of treatment with the drug, my thrush went away and did not appear again until the birth. I recommend that all women use this simple and affordable remedy rather than spending extra money on expensive drugs that are not always effective.”

Marina, 28 years old

After numerous futile attempts to cure thrush during pregnancy, the doctor recommended trying a sodium tetraborate solution. From the very first days of use, the itching and burning went away, and by the end of the course there was no discharge left. After giving birth, of course, I underwent full-fledged antifungal treatment, but at that time, borax in glycerin became a real salvation for me. For which I thank my doctor very much.”

Is this product safe?

Borax in glycerin is successfully tolerated during pregnancy. But the development of the following side effects is possible:

local irritation of the skin;
in case of overdose, it has a toxic effect on the woman’s nervous system, which can manifest itself in convulsive syndrome.

If, after using borax in glycerin as a douche or inserting a tampon, a woman experiences a burning sensation, she must immediately stop contact of the mucous membranes with the drug and rinse them thoroughly with running water.

The same can be advised in case of diarrhea and twitching of the muscles of the face and limbs - most likely, the drug is not suitable for a woman, you should immediately stop using it and seek advice from a doctor.

You also need to remember that sodium tetraborate can accumulate over time in bone tissue and in the liver, causing a damaging effect on them.

To avoid this, you should not abuse the use of borax in glycerin and allow an overdose of the drug, and also use it for people known to suffer from osteoporosis and liver pathologies.

Why does she appear?

There is hardly a woman who has never had to deal with thrush in her life. This unpleasant disease especially often plagues women during pregnancy. What explains this?

Many women mistakenly believe that vaginal candidiasis or thrush is a disease classified as venereal. Actually this is not true. The fact is that the causative agent of candidiasis is almost always part of the healthy microflora of the vagina.

But while the immune system is working normally, the fungus cannot multiply quickly, since its growth is inhibited by the healthy microflora of the vagina. But if the immune system fails, then uncontrolled fungal growth begins. As a result, unpleasant symptoms appear such as:

swelling of the mucous membranes;
unbearable itching;
discharge that looks like curdled milk and has a sour odor.

Advice! It is precisely because of the nature of the discharge, which looks like cottage cheese, that the disease received its name - thrush.

And since a decrease in immunity is inevitable during pregnancy, it is during this period that many women have to deal with this unpleasant disease.

Contraindications

The use of the drug during pregnancy is permitted, since its absorption into the bloodstream through intact skin is reduced to a minimum.

Therefore, borax in glycerin does not negatively affect the development of the fetus and the course of pregnancy. But if the expectant mother has damage to the vaginal mucosa, cervical erosion or fissures, the use of this drug is contraindicated.

This is due to the ability of sodium tetraborate to easily penetrate through microtraumas into the general bloodstream and have a toxic effect on the body. That is why borax in glycerin should be prescribed by the attending physician, who will make sure that the woman has no contraindications.

Sodium tetraborate should also not be used by persons who are hypersensitive to the drug. In addition, borax in glycerin is contraindicated in diseases characterized by metabolic alkalosis - the accumulation of alkaline substances in the blood.

You should immediately seek emergency medical help if the following clinical symptoms occur:

nausea and vomiting;
increased sweating;
dizziness;
convulsive syndrome, for example, tremors of the limbs;
rashes or redness of the skin;
swelling;
increased heart rate.

It is important to carry out all therapeutic procedures using borax in glycerin after consultation with a specialist in order to avoid possible complications and side effects.

Thrush causes many problems during pregnancy, and if before conception a woman could quickly cope with the infection by drinking one of the modern drugs without thinking about the consequences, then while carrying a child, most modern medications are prohibited.

Borax in glycerin is a complex medicine that is effective against fungal infections, pathogenic microorganisms and insects. During pregnancy, this drug can be used as prescribed by a doctor, taking into account indications and contraindications.

Author: Olga Rogozhkina, doctor, especially for Mama66.ru

Thrush during pregnancy. How to avoid risks?

All countries around the world have seen high rates of growth in vaginal infections in recent years. The leading place among them is occupied by candidiasis or thrush .

Pregnant women often experience thrush. Despite its apparent harmlessness, thrush can pose a serious threat: it complicates the course of pregnancy and puts the health of mother and baby at risk.

Normal vaginal microflora during pregnancy

Olga Sergeevna Derdyay, an obstetrician-gynecologist at the Za Rozhdenie clinic, tells the story.

The vaginal microflora in a healthy woman is represented by lactobacilli (Doderlein bacilli), which make up 95-98% of all vaginal microbes.

Lactobacilli perform a protective function, preventing the proliferation of pathogenic microflora and fungi. The protective properties of lactobacilli are realized in different ways: they displace pathogenic flora, preventing it from attaching to the epithelium of the vaginal mucosa, prevent the proliferation of pathogenic bacteria due to the production of lysozyme and hydrogen peroxide, and also in the process of vital activity, they secrete lactic acid, thanks to which an acidic environment is maintained during vagina (pH 3.8-4.4), necessary to suppress harmful bacteria

During pregnancy, hormonal changes occur that promote the growth of normal vaginal microflora: an increase in estrogen levels leads to an increase in the number of epithelial cells on the vaginal mucosa and the accumulation of glycogen in them.
Glycogen is broken down by lactobacilli to form lactic acid, which promotes the proliferation of normal flora and the displacement of pathogenic flora. In a healthy pregnant woman, the number of lactobacilli increases by the time of delivery.

Thus, when passing through the birth canal, the child receives useful lactoflora, which will serve as protection against pathogenic microorganisms.

BUT! modern life makes its own adjustments: stress, the use of antibiotics, chronic diseases, poor ecology prevent the proliferation of lactobacilli and pathogenic bacteria and fungi take the place of normal microflora.

Thrush “loves” pregnant women

Almost half of pregnant women (40-46%) experience signs of thrush (vulvovaginal candidiasis) during pregnancy, and for many this happens for the first time in their lives.

Thrush is caused by yeast fungi of the genus Candida, which belong to the opportunistic microflora. The occurrence of thrush during pregnancy is facilitated by changes in hormonal levels. With a decrease in the number of lactobacilli, the glycogen content in the vaginal epithelium increases, which leads to the proliferation of fungi. Progesterone, a pregnancy-preserving hormone, inhibits a woman’s immune system, which also leads to a decrease in the protective function of the normal vaginal microflora.

Thrush during pregnancy - it’s important not to miss it

The characteristic clinical symptoms of thrush are:

Itching
Curd-like discharge from the vagina.

Itching may intensify in the afternoon, before bed, after taking a bath or shower, long walking, or sexual intercourse.

The discharge can be either abundant or scanty, it all depends on the volume of the lesion and the presence of accompanying microflora. However, during pregnancy, the clinic can be erased and women note only discomfort in the vagina or in the area of the external genitalia.

The diagnosis of vulvovaginal candidiasis is confirmed using microbiological research methods (microscopy of smears of vaginal discharge), their diagnostic value reaches 95%.

Microscopic examination of smears is one of the simplest and most accessible methods for diagnosing candidiasis. The vaginal contents are applied to glass, dried, stained and examined under a microscope.
If Candida fungi are present in quantities <104 CFU/ml, and there are no clinical symptoms of thrush, then this condition is defined as candidiasis.
If Candida fungi are present >104 CFU/ml and there are symptoms of the disease, a diagnosis of vulvovaginal candidiasis is made. During pregnancy, a smear for vaginal microflora is taken three times, in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd trimesters; its results are especially important immediately before childbirth (at 36 weeks).

Why is treatment necessary?

Any vaginal infection, including candidiasis, during pregnancy and childbirth is dangerous and requires proper treatment. Vulvovaginal candidiasis is associated with an increased risk of a number of complications of pregnancy and childbirth:

The likelihood of spontaneous miscarriage in the early stages and premature birth increases;
Infection during pregnancy can spread to the fetus and membranes, causing amnionitis (infection of the amniotic fluid) or chorioamnionitis (inflammation of the membranes); • Increases the risk of hypoxia (oxygen deficiency) of the fetus;
The risk of intrauterine growth retardation and the birth of a child with low body weight increases;
Premature discharge of amniotic fluid;
The risk of postpartum infection increases, in particular endometritis (inflammation of the uterus);
Soft tissue rupture during childbirth
Candidiasis of the mucous membranes, skin and respiratory tract of the newborn.

Our dear future mothers, treatment of thrush, and especially during pregnancy, is necessary, therefore, if its symptoms appear, immediately contact the obstetrician-gynecologist who is monitoring your pregnancy.

Features of the treatment of thrush during pregnancy

During pregnancy, it is dangerous to use any medications to treat thrush without a doctor’s prescription, as they can harm the baby’s health. Treatment of thrush should be comprehensive and carried out only under the supervision of an obstetrician-gynecologist.

To increase the effectiveness of the therapy, it is necessary to follow the rules of intimate hygiene and diet.

Nutrition for thrush.

It has been proven that the exacerbation of thrush symptoms is partly dependent on the consumption of certain foods. In this regard, it is recommended to exclude from your diet foods that stimulate the growth of yeast fungi. Such as: sugar, sweet pastries, cakes, fatty foods, caffeine, carbonated drinks, sweet fruits, hot and spicy foods. It is necessary to enrich your diet with vegetables; beets, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, carrots, cucumbers, dill and parsley are useful. For fruits, preference should be given to lemons, plums and green apples. Of particular importance is the consumption of “live” fermented milk products; they are the main source of beneficial lactogenic flora. It is advisable to replace black tea and coffee with berry fruit drinks, compotes and rose hip tea.

Intimate hygiene for pregnant women.

Hygiene plays an important role in achieving a positive result in the treatment of thrush. When symptoms of thrush appear and to prevent it, pregnant women should adhere to the following recommendations:

1. When hygienic care of the intimate area, it is best to use clean running water. You should wash yourself with warm water in the morning, evening and after intimacy. Hands must be clean. The water stream must be directed from front to back.

2. Excessive hygiene, too frequent washing with various products, promotes the growth of fungi. Also, douching should not be used without a prescription from an obstetrician-gynecologist.

3. An intimate hygiene product should be free of fragrances, dyes and, ideally, contain lactic acid. After use, it must be rinsed thoroughly with clean water.

4. You must use an individual soft towel. Do not wipe the genitals vigorously, as this will cause irritation; simply blot away any remaining moisture.

5. Daily sanitary pads create a “greenhouse effect”, which promotes the growth of Candida fungi. It is better to avoid using them.

6. Underwear should be comfortable, made of cotton. Natural fabric absorbs moisture well and provides normal oxygen access. Underwear made from synthetic fabrics and clothes that are too tight impede ventilation and create favorable conditions for the growth of fungi. Change your underwear daily.

7. During the period of treatment for thrush, you must abstain from sexual activity.

8. It is necessary to avoid anything that leads to overheating, excessive sweating and irritation of the skin of the intimate area.

Drug therapy.

Treatment of thrush in a pregnant woman is a rather complex problem: often the disease is caused by a combined fungal-bacterial flora, in addition, there is a lack of local and general immune defense.

During pregnancy, the main criterion for selecting a drug for the treatment of thrush is its safety! Generally, preference is given to the local use of products (suppositories, cream). For correct and high-quality recommendations, you should consult a doctor.

Dear future mothers, given the danger of thrush during pregnancy, it is unacceptable to neglect its treatment! Remember, the presence of infection is always a risk factor for both mother and baby.

In our clinic, appointments are conducted by experienced obstetricians-gynecologists who accompany you throughout 9 months of pregnancy. For women who are not registered at the reproductive health clinic “For Birth”, specialized obstetric and gynecological appointments for pregnancy are organized. Specialists with extensive experience working with pregnant women will professionally answer all your questions and help you understand each individual situation.

Happy motherhood to you!

Obstetrician-gynecologist of the clinic “For the Birth” Olge Sergeevna Derdyay.
Articles on the topic 10 reasons why you shouldn’t be nervous... What you need to know about intrauterine... Treatment with the Andro-Gyn device... Pregnancy calendar Preparing for pregnancy or... Step-by-step instructions for happy... Cervical erosion during pregnancy

Side effects

The consequence of improper use of the drug can be severe toxic poisoning of the body, expressed by side effects:

burning sensation in the vagina due to damage to the mucous membranes;
sharp pain in the lower abdomen;
dysbacteriosis;
vomit;
allergic reactions.

That is why it is strictly forbidden to self-medicate with borax in glycerin, especially for pregnant women. Only a doctor can prescribe this remedy to pregnant women after determining the degree of the disease and the condition of the vagina.