Often women leave the gynecological room with a diagnosis of decidual polyp. Moreover, pregnant patients are faced with similar problems. Naturally, this term does not inspire confidence, so women are trying to find out what this neoplasm is and whether it is dangerous for the body of the future mother and child.
What is decidual polyp? a brief description of
To begin with, it’s worth understanding the term. Decidual polyp is a neoplasm that is formed from fetal tissues and placenta cells. The polyp protrudes into the lumen of the cervical canal, and sometimes beyond. As a rule, this structure has a flat shape, but sometimes the neoplasm is attached to the tissues with the help of a thin leg. It is formed due to the proliferation of the mucous membrane of the cervical canal.
These are small benign growths, which in most cases do not carry a threat. According to statistics, about 22% of pregnant women experience this diagnosis and in most cases tolerate it without complications.
The main causes of neoplasms
It is still not known exactly why in some pregnant women a decidual polyp of the cervical canal forms. Nevertheless, thanks to studies, several risk factors have been clarified.
Most doctors associate the appearance of a neoplasm with a violation of the hormonal background. Indeed, during pregnancy, the woman’s body undergoes significant changes, which affects the functioning of the immune system. In particular, in the diagnosis of patients, an increase in the level of estrogen and some other hormones is often determined.
The causes include disorders in the functioning of the immune system, because this affects the same level of hormones and can provoke tissue proliferation. It was also noted that a history of many patients indicated cervical injuries sustained during previous births, gynecological procedures, abortions, sexual intercourse, etc.
What are the symptoms of the disease?
In most cases, the decidual polyp of the cervical canal does not cause any disturbance. Symptoms are absent, patients feel good, and pregnancy is proceeding normally. A neoplasm is most often detected by chance, during an examination in the gynecologist's office.
Any symptoms that appear are not associated with the presence of the polyp itself, but with its trauma or intense proliferation. What should patients pay attention to? Sometimes future mothers note the appearance of uncharacteristic vaginal discharge - they can be plentiful or scarce. If an infection joins the process, then the whites have an unpleasant smell, and their color changes.
A polyp injury is accompanied by damage to blood vessels, so blood is present in the discharge. Sometimes these are just small impurities, and sometimes massive bleeding. The list of symptoms includes pain and cramping in the lower abdomen, which either appear periodically or are constantly present.
Some patients experience an increase in body temperature. This, as a rule, indicates the presence of an inflammatory process. In any case, if you have the above symptoms, you should visit the gynecologist as soon as possible. It is possible that the polyp is not a threat to pregnancy, but the diagnosis is still worth it.
What complications are possible?
In the overwhelming majority of cases, the decidual polyp during pregnancy does not carry any danger. On the other hand, the occurrence of complications is still possible.
Similar neoplasms have many blood vessels. They are fragile and easily injured. Damage to the polyp tissue can, for example, during a gynecological examination or sexual intercourse, as a result of excessive physical exertion. Firstly, such injuries are fraught with bleeding. Secondly, there is a risk of penetration of a bacterial or fungal infection into the pelvic organs. Occasionally, cases are observed in which a strong proliferation of polyps provokes premature birth.
Diagnostic measures
You can see the neoplasm during colposcopy. A doctor using a colposcope can carefully examine the cervix. The procedure takes several minutes, it is safe and painless. Large polyps sometimes go outside from the cervical canal to the vaginal part - in such cases, the doctor may take a small amount of tissue for histological analysis. A laboratory examination of the tissues will help determine whether the tumor is benign.
It is necessary to conduct a number of tests. In particular, patients submit blood samples for analysis. A vaginal smear is also needed. Such studies help in time to determine the presence of infection.
Decidual polyp during pregnancy: is treatment necessary?
It should immediately reassure pregnant patients. Similar polyps on the cervix in most cases do not require any treatment. They are rarely an obstacle during childbirth, and at the end of pregnancy and the normalization of the hormonal background, the neoplasms disappear on their own.
As a rule, women are recommended to follow a healthy lifestyle, eat right, and try to avoid stress whenever possible. All this contributes to the normalization of the endocrine system and the strengthening of the immune system.
Drug therapy
More often, the decidual polyp disappears after childbirth. Drug treatment is required only in individual cases. For example, sometimes for one reason or another, the hormonal background can be restored only by taking medication. If there is damage to the polyp, which is accompanied by the penetration of pathogenic microorganisms into the blood, patients are prescribed antibacterial or antifungal drugs. Antibiotic therapy, by the way, is often carried out after the removal of polyps - for prevention. With a strong decrease in the immune system, vitamin complexes are used, and sometimes immunomodulators.
Of course, women should constantly be under the supervision of a gynecologist, regularly take tests and visit a doctor’s office to enable the specialist to monitor the development or attenuation of the disease.
When is surgery necessary?
Surgical intervention is prescribed only as a last resort. In particular, polyps on the cervix should be removed if the patient has severe bleeding. The doctor can make the same decision if the neoplasm is infected, ulceration or other destructive damage is observed on it.
A decidual polyp can occasionally provoke an increase in uterine tone and the appearance of cramping, which is a threat to pregnancy. Of course, surgeons today use extremely gentle methods. For example, the neoplasm is not removed with standard surgical instruments. Decidual polyp after curettage may appear again, and this technique is dangerous for the fetus.
Therefore, today, these tumors are increasingly removed with a laser. Less commonly used cryodestruction and thermocoagulation. Such procedures are quite simple and usually take a few minutes. The doctor uses an endoscope during removal. The laser beam immediately burns the damaged vessels, which eliminates the possibility of bleeding and infection in the tissues of the mother or child.