Does vaginal dryness prevent pregnancy?
Vaginal dryness is a common problem that many suffer from, and in the following lines the answer to the question “Does vaginal dryness prevent pregnancy?” In addition to additional details:
Does vaginal dryness prevent pregnancy?
In fact, the answer to this question could be that vaginal dryness may affect a woman’s ability to get pregnant, it may prolong the time it takes to get pregnant, but it will not necessarily cause infertility.
It can be clarified that the absence of cervical mucus or the presence of a small amount of it leads to severe dryness in the vagina, and this affects a woman’s ability to get pregnant as follows:
- Cervical mucus effectively nourishes the sperm cells, improving their ability to swim from the cervix to the uterus to the fallopian tubes, thereby facilitating their access to the egg and fertilization, and this means that it provides the ideal environment for sperm growth. move freely, and its absence inhibits sperm movement and the occurrence of pregnancy.
- Cervical mucus lubricates the vagina, and its absence causes painful and unwanted intercourse, which in turn puts additional pressure on couples who want to get pregnant.
And after answering the question “Does vaginal dryness prevent pregnancy?” It is worth noting that cases where cervical problems interfere with pregnancy are called aggressive cervical mucus, meaning severe vaginal dryness, excessively acidic vaginal secretions or immune problems.
What are the causes of vaginal dryness?
It is necessary to identify the causes leading to vaginal dryness, and the following problems related to the ability to conceive:,
- Birth and breastfeeding.
- Exposure to chemotherapy or radiation for cancer.
- aging
- Use a vaginal wash.
- There is a bacterial or fungal infection.
- Hormonal imbalance.
- Cervical damage.
- Taking certain medications, such as: anti-estrogens, antihistamines, certain antidepressants, cough suppressants, epilepsy drugs or fertility drugs.
How can vaginal dryness be treated?
After getting to know the answer to the question “Does vaginal dryness prevent pregnancy?” You are probably wondering “how can vaginal dryness be treated?”, and here we must tell you that the treatment depends on the cause of the dryness and other contributing factors such as age, smoking and the use of medications. The doctor may prescribe the following:
1. Local estrogen treatment
The most common treatment for vaginal dryness due to low estrogen levels is local estrogen therapy, there are 3 types of local estrogen:
- Estrogen ring, in which the doctor inserts a soft and flexible ring into the vagina that releases a constant stream of estrogen directly into the tissues, and is replaced every 3 months.
- The cream, which is inserted through a device on a daily basis for two weeks, and then used one to three times a week.
- Vaginal tablets to be inserted once in the first two weeks and then twice a week.
2. Antibiotics and antifungals
Vaginal infection or cervicitis should be treated with antibiotics or antifungal drugs.
3. Guaifenesin
Your doctor may prescribe a small dose of guaifenesin, an expectorant that thins the cervical mucus.
4. Vaginal moisturizers
Vaginal lubricants specially formulated for vaginal dryness and water-based lubricants, sold in pharmacies, may help relieve vaginal dryness.
In cases where previous treatments fail, and the woman’s infertility persists, the doctor may resort to intrauterine insemination or in vitro fertilization.
Tips for preventing vaginal dryness
Following the following tips can prevent vaginal dryness:
- Use unscented soap and lotion designed for the sensitive area.
- Avoid using douches, any moisturizer not intended for use in the area, or bubble baths, as these products can worsen vaginal dryness.
- drink more water
- Moisturize the vagina with vaginal lubricants and use lubricants before intercourse.