Age 30 – Before & During Pregnancy & Postpartum

This is the cervix of a 30 year old woman.  The first photo was taken before she conceived and the rest were taken about three years later during her second pregnancy.  The last two were taken postpartum.  Note how the size and shape of the os is smaller before she conceived compared to the photos taken during her second pregnancy, about 2 years after she had given birth vaginally to her first child. 

In some pregnancy photos, you will see thick white discharge called leukorrhea flowing from the cervix. This type of discharge is common in pregnancy and does not have other symptoms of vaginal infection such as itching, burning, foul smell, etc.

During week 8, 16, 20, and 21, this woman had a yeast infection (a candidiasis overgrowth) visible as a thick white cottage cheese-like discharge.  Yeast overgrowths are particularly common in pregnancy.  Elevated hormones cause a change in vaginal temperature and pH and an increase in vaginal secretions, giving the yeast a warmer environment to replicate in and abundant sugars to feed on.  She treated this imbalance with an antifungal vaginal suppository medication (also called an antimycotic).