THE ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF MIDWIVES IN THE PREVENTION OF COMMON GENITAL INFECTIONS DURING REGNANCY

Creative Commons License

Alver E., Zontur B., Nazhad Abbas M.

6TH INTERNATIONAL ASKLEPIOS CONGRESS ON MEDICINE, NURSING, MIDWIFERY, AND HEALTH SCIENCES, Priştine, Kosova, 14 - 16 Ağustos 2025, cilt.1, sa.1, ss.691-699, (Tam Metin Bildiri)

Özet

The presence of genital infections during pregnancy leads to maternal and foetal complications. The

fact that infections directly cause maternal deaths increases the importance of preventing genital

infections during pregnancy. Changes in the vaginal flora during pregnancy facilitate the colonisation

of microorganisms in the genital system. This increases the risk of genital infections. The most

common genital infections in pregnant women are vulvovaginal candidiasis, bacterial vaginosis and

trichomoniasis.

The presence of genital infections during pregnancy can cause symptoms such as foul-smelling

discharge, itching, vulvar irritation, and skin lesions in women. In addition, these infections can

penetrate the uterine wall and cause foetal loss in the early weeks of pregnancy. In the later weeks of

pregnancy, they can cause preterm labour, chorioamnionitis, premature membrane rupture, and

stillbirth. Genital infections can be prevented with timely and appropriate treatment approaches and

simple methods. In order to protect tissue integrity in pregnant women with genital infections and to

ensure that necessary treatment and care are provided before the infection spreads to the foetal

membranes, midwives should screen for vaginal discharge during pregnancy and make it part of

routine monitoring in order to detect the presence of genital infections early in pregnancy. Midwives

should provide the necessary preventive care, education and counselling services to identify and

prevent potential risks that may cause genital infections at an early stage. In this context, the role and

responsibilities of midwives in prenatal care are extremely important in reducing the mortality and

morbidity rates that genital infections can cause.