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Seeding from the cervical canal. LHC urine culture - how to pass it correctly and what the analysis can reveal

Bacteriological culture (tank culture) from the cervical canal, what is this gynecological examination, who is assigned, what can it show and can expectant mothers do it?

This study allows you to get a pure culture of a pathogen, that is, to accurately identify it. Tank sowing a smear from the cervical canal helps to identify such microorganisms as: enterobacteria, E. coli, Klebsiella, fungi, etc.

But this research is not paramount. Usually, a general smear (for sterility) is first given, where the number of leukocytes is checked. If there are a lot of them in the cervical region, then a tank is taken from the cervical canal for flora and sensitivity to antibiotics in order to immediately select and effective treatment. The reason for this increase in leukocytes are diseases of the pelvic organs: cervicitis, endometritis, adnexitis, etc.

As for sexually transmitted infections, which can also contribute to the development of the inflammatory process, they can also be determined using this material collection technology, but the laboratory diagnostic technology itself will be different.

By the way, about technology. If you read the recommendations for collecting material from the cervix, it becomes clear that the sampling is made directly from the cervical canal, the instrument (probe) is inserted 0.5-1.5 cm deep. Actually, for this reason, the question arises as to whether it is possible to take seeding from the cervical canal during pregnancy. Yes, it is possible and safe. Although this study is not mandatory, it is carried out only according to indications. Taking a smear will not lead to a miscarriage, the cervical canal is quite long, literally half a centimeter, which a thin instrument will penetrate into it, this is not at all scary and does not threaten the child in any way.

And how to take an analysis of sowing from the cervical canal, is it necessary to prepare in any way, what can be done the day before and what cannot? Special training is not required. However, in order for the decoding to be reliable and informative for sowing from the cervical canal, it is necessary to stop taking antibacterial drugs of local and systemic action a few days before, and even better two or more weeks before. Do not douche or use vaginal contraception.

A urine culture tank during pregnancy is used to determine the infection of the internal organs and the harmful bacteria that infect them. At the same time, the analysis is able to provide information about which medicines will be most successfully used.

What does a urine culture tank show during pregnancy

A urine culture tank during pregnancy is a study that shows the content of harmful bacteria, the number and degree of their influence, as well as sensitivity to certain antibacterial drugs. The smear is used in special laboratories, where a favorable environment is created from nutrients in order to grow bacteria, taking into account a special temperature regime.

Urine culture during pregnancy determines the specific type of microorganisms that adversely affect the body. The collection of biological fluid is carried out under the condition of sterility in order to prevent data distortion and subsequently designate the type of antibiotic therapy that will be highly effective.

How to donate a urine culture tank during pregnancy

To collect urine for bakposev, you must follow some recommendations:
  • it is possible to donate only morning urine, since during this period it is more concentrated, which indicates high rates in diagnosis;
  • the analysis is given only in a sterile container, which prevents the ingress of bacteria from the external environment;
  • tank seeding for sterility from the cervical canal with a catheter should be done with the utmost care, preventing the spread of infection;
  • before collection, carry out hygiene procedures;
  • per day it is required to exclude salty dishes and foods that change the color of urine;
  • for the day to abandon physical activity, so as not to provoke an increase in protein;
  • do not increase or decrease normal water intake;
  • refuse to take diuretics for this period.
The instruction indicates that the container with urine in the laboratory should be no later than 2 hours after the liquid was taken in order for the answer to be as reliable as possible.

Deciphering the urine culture tank during pregnancy

At the examination stage, a small amount of urine is taken and placed in a thermostat with a favorable environment, and after a few days the growth of microorganisms is assessed. After that, a study of the biomaterial is carried out in order to identify the type of pathogenic microflora and sensitivity to a certain category of antibiotics. The most detailed analysis is made and transferred to the doctor, since the decoding of the result is possible only with the help of specialists.

Urine culture for microflora from the cervical canal correctly assesses the presence of genitourinary infections, sexually transmitted infections. Positive results indicate the need for urgent treatment, since bacteria, if they enter the uterine cavity, cause fetal growth retardation or miscarriage.

A poor analysis of the pregnancy flora implies the presence of asymptomatic bacteriuria when E. coli or enterococcus faecalis is detected. The situation is dangerous due to infection along the ascending path to the kidneys, which can provoke pyelonephritis. Staphylococcus aureus in nasal culture requires immediate treatment to prevent infection of the fetus.

Norm urine culture tank

The norm of results during decoding contains colony-forming units per 1 ml of liquid:
  • 1000 CFU / ml and less is the norm;
  • from 100 to 100,000 CFU / ml - doubtful;
  • more than 100,000 CFU / ml - infection has occurred.
Further, in the research form, all microorganisms that inhabit the cervical canal will be listed in order. A bad urine culture tank may contain yeast fungi, gardnerella, Trichomonas, gonococcus, Proteus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa in large quantities. The impact on a woman's health and intrauterine development of these bacteria is very high, so appropriate treatment is necessary.

The rate of streptococcus in a smear should not exceed 104 CFU / ml, but it must be borne in mind that only some varieties cause a pathological reaction. Staphylococcus and streptococcus in the study in a small volume is considered a normal manifestation.

It is not uncommon for a positive analysis to be the result of incorrect collection of biological material, so a retake is required to understand how reliable the examination was. If an infection of the genitourinary system is detected again, you will need to undergo an antibacterial course of treatment, which can only be prescribed by a doctor.

It is known that microorganisms, despite their “small growth”, also have food “addictions”, an optimum temperature, in general, an environment that suits them perfectly, where they feel comfortable and good, and therefore begin to multiply and grow intensively.

Bacteriological seeding or, as it is commonly called in short - tank seeding, is used to obtain a large number of microbes of the same species (pure culture) in order to study their physicochemical and biological properties, in order to then the obtained data can be used for the diagnosis of infectious diseases.

Unfortunately, even now popular, and other methods, the main disadvantage of which are false positive or false negative results, cannot always identify the pathogen. In addition, they are not able to pick up targeted antibacterial drugs. A similar problem is solved by a sowing tank, which is often not in a hurry to appoint, referring to the fact that, for example, it is slowly cultivated, and the cost of analysis is considerable. However, health is worth it!

Conditions needed for food and breathing

Microbiologists now know that each pathogen needs its own "native" environment, taking into account its pH, redox potentials, viscosity, humidity and osmotic properties. The environments can be soft and hard, simple and complex, universal and not very versatile, but in all cases they must provide nutrition, respiration, reproduction and growth of the bacterial cell.

example of microorganism growth after tank inoculation into a nutrient medium

Some media (thioglycol, Sabouraud) are suitable for a wide range of microorganisms and are called universal. Others are intended only for certain species, for example, pneumococcus and Staphylococcus aureus, producing hemolysins, grow on blood agar, which serves to isolate particularly "capricious" and, at the same time, dangerous strains. Thus, there are many varieties of media, where each of them grows its own range of microorganisms.

The purpose of cultivation of microorganisms and its significance for diagnosis

In addition to water, air, soil, containing various microorganisms in various concentrations, including those that bring disease (pathogenic), many branches of medical science are interested in microbes living on the skin and mucous membranes of the human body, which can be represented by:

  • Permanent residents, not carrying any danger to man, that is, the normal microflora of the body, without which we simply cannot live. For example, the disappearance of bacteria that live in the intestines and participate in the process of digestion leads to dysbacteriosis, which is not easy to treat. The same happens with the disappearance of the vaginal microflora. It is immediately populated by conditionally pathogenic microorganisms, gardnerella, for example, which cause;
  • conditionally pathogenic flora, which is harmful only in large quantities under certain conditions (immunodeficiency). The aforementioned gardnerella is a representative of this type of microorganisms;
  • The presence of pathogenic microbes which are not present in a healthy body. They are alien to the human body, where they accidentally enter upon contact with another (sick) person and cause the development of an infectious process, sometimes quite severe or even fatal. For example, a meeting with pathogens is still all right, at first it is treated, but (God forbid!) It will release cholera, plague, smallpox, etc.

Fortunately, many of them have been defeated and are currently "behind seven seals" in special laboratories, but humanity at any time must be ready for the invasion of an invisible enemy capable of destroying entire nations. Bacteriological seeding in such cases plays, perhaps, the main role in the identification of the microorganism, that is, the determination of the genus, species, type, etc. (toxonomic position), which is very important for the diagnosis of infectious processes, including sexually transmitted diseases.

Thus, sowing methods, like nutrient media, are different, however, they have the same goal: obtain a pure culture without impurities in the form of microbes of other classes, which live everywhere: in water, in the air, on surfaces, on a person and inside him.

When is a sowing tank appointed and how to understand the answers?

The name of the microorganism and its quantity

Patients do not prescribe bacteriological analysis for themselves, this is done by a doctor if he has suspicions that the problems of a patient presenting various complaints are associated with the penetration of a pathogenic pathogen into the body or with increased reproduction of microorganisms that constantly live with a person, but exhibit pathogenic properties only in certain conditions. Having passed the analysis and after some time having received an answer in his hands, a person is lost, and sometimes even frightened, when he sees incomprehensible words and designations, therefore, in order for this not to happen, I would like to give a brief explanation on this issue:

When examining biological material for the presence of pathogenic microorganisms, the answer can be negative or positive (“bad sowing tank”), since the human body is only a temporary shelter for them, and not a natural habitat.

Sometimes, depending on what material is to be inoculated, you can see the number of microorganisms expressed in colony-forming units per ml (one living cell will give the growth of a whole colony) - CFU / ml. For example, inoculation of urine for bacteriological examination normally gives up to 10 3 CFU / ml of all detected bacterial cells, in doubtful cases (repeat the analysis!) - 10 3 - 10 4 CFU / ml, with an inflammatory process of infectious origin - 10 5 and above CFU /ml About the last two options in colloquial speech, at times, they are simply expressed: "Bad sowing tank."

How to "find control" on a pathogenic microorganism?

Simultaneously with the sowing of the material in such situations, the microflora is sown for sensitivity to antibiotics, which will give a clear answer to the doctor - which antibacterial drugs and in what doses will “scare” the “intruder”. Here, too, there is a decryption, for example:

  • The type of microorganism, for example, the same E. coli in the amount of 1x10 ^ 6;
  • The name of the antibiotic with the designation (S) indicates the sensitivity of the pathogen to this drug;
  • The type of antibiotics that do not act on the microorganism is indicated by the symbol (R).

Bacteriological analysis is of particular value in determining sensitivity to antibiotics, since the main problem in the fight against chlamydia, mycoplasma, ureaplasma, etc. remains the selection of an effective treatment that does not harm the body and does not hit the patient's pocket.

Table: Alternative example of tank culture results showing effective antibiotics

Proper preparation for bacteriological analysis is the key to a reliable result

Any biological material taken from a person can be subjected to bacteriological analysis.(skin, blood, semen, mucous membranes of the oral cavity, respiratory and urinary tract, gastrointestinal tract, organs of vision, hearing and smell, etc.). Most often, the sowing tank is prescribed by gynecologists and urologists, so you should dwell on it a little.

Proper preparation for bacteriological culture will be the key to the correct result, because otherwise, the analysis will have to be retaken and wait for the appointed time. How to donate blood for sterility from a vein is the task of health workers. As a rule, nothing depends on the patient here, he simply provides an elbow bend, and the nurse takes it into a sterile test tube in compliance with all the rules of asepsis and antisepsis.

Another thing is urine or from the genital tract. Here the patient must ensure the first stage (fence), following the prescribed rules. It should be noted that the urine of women and men is somewhat different, although in the bladder of both sexes it is sterile:

  • In women, when passing through the urethra, a small number of non-pathogenic cocci can be captured, although in general, it often remains sterile;
  • For men, things are somewhat different. The anterior part of the urethra can supply passing urine with the following:
    1. diphtheroids;
    2. staphylococci;
    3. some non-pathogenic gram-negative bacteria, which will be shown subsequently by bacteriological analysis.

However, if they are in an acceptable concentration (up to 10 3 CFU / ml), then there is nothing to be afraid of, this is a variant of the norm.

To avoid the presence of other microorganisms and to ensure the sterility of the material taken as much as possible, a thorough toilet of the genital organs is performed before the analysis (the entrance to the vagina in women is closed with a cotton swab - protection from the ingress of the separated genital organs). For analysis, an average portion of urine is taken (the beginning of urination into the toilet, approximately 10 ml of medium serving in a sterile jar, ending in the toilet). Patients need to know: urine taken for culture must be processed no later than two hours when stored no higher than 20 ° C, so you should consider the time for transportation.

In addition, the material for the seeding tank, if necessary, is taken from the urethra and rectum in men, from the urethra, rectum, vagina, cervix and cervical canal - in women, but this happens in a medical facility where the patient should arrive. Washing, douching and the use of antiseptics in such cases is prohibited.

Other issues of concern to patients

Many patients are interested in how many days the analysis is done. It is impossible to answer this question unambiguously, it all depends on what material is being studied and what pathogen should be looked for. Sometimes the answer is ready in 3 days, sometimes in a week or even 10-14 days, since some samples require subculture to another medium.

Do not bypass the people heading to the sowing tank and the question of the price of the analysis. The approximate cost in Moscow is about 800 - 1500 rubles. Of course, it can be higher and depends on the breadth of the bacteriological search spectrum. You can probably take an analysis for free during pregnancy at the antenatal clinic, or at the clinic for special medical reasons.

For pregnant women, the seeding tank is mandatory, it is given 2 times(when registering and at 36 weeks), while a swab is taken not only from the genital tract, but also from the mucous membranes of the nose and throat. The object of search in this case, in addition to urogenital infections, will be Staphylococcus aureus (Staphylococcus aureus), which in the postpartum period can cause a lot of trouble (purulent mastitis, etc.). In addition, pregnant women are required to do urine culture, scraping of the vaginal epithelium and smears from the cervix and cervical canal.

Many women, before going to the procedure, are very afraid of such terrible words and begin to think: “Is this necessary? Maybe don't go." We hasten to assure that the tests are absolutely painless. A smear from the cervix and cervical canal is taken with a sterile cytobrush, causing absolutely no pain to the woman, but subsequently the sowing tank from the s / m and s / c will protect both the expectant mother and the fetus from possible complications. The object of search during pregnancy are the causative agents of chlamydia, urea- and mycoplasma, yeast-like (usually Candida albicans), and other opportunistic and pathogenic microorganisms.

Video: demonstration video on tank culture from the cervical canal

Special cases of particular interest to those taking tests

Once in the genital tract, pathogenic microorganisms, after a very short time, are mastered and begin their harmful activity. For example, always pathogenic gonococci (Neisseria), which are the culprits of a rather unpleasant disease called and related to STDs, feel “at home” literally on day 3. They begin to actively multiply and boldly move up the genital tract, capturing more and more new territories. Everyone knows that gonorrhea is now well treated and almost no one is afraid of it. But first you need to find it. The main method of searching for this infection is tank seeding, cultivation, identification by Gram staining, microscopy.

Found in a smear taken "on the flora" from the genital tract, lying in pairs "coffee beans" (diplococci), do not indicate the presence of a sexually transmitted disease. Such a microflora of the vagina often appears in postmenopause and does not mean anything bad. A smear taken under non-sterile conditions on a glass slide and stained with methylene blue or Romanovsky (cytology) cannot differentiate the microorganism. He can only assume and refer the patient for additional research (obtaining an isolated culture).

It should be noted that if scraping from the mucous membranes of the urinary tract, taken for sowing on ureaplasma, is not such a rare occurrence, then doctors themselves often avoid sowing urine, since it is more difficult to work with it.

It creates difficulties in diagnosis, which brings great harm not only during pregnancy. In addition, chlamydia causes many diseases that are common not only to women, but also to the male population, so it is sown, cultivated, studied, sensitivity to antibiotic therapy is determined and, thus, it is fought.

During pregnancy, bacteriological culture is generally difficult to do without, since many microorganisms, masked in a cytological smear, can be missed. Meanwhile, the effect of some STD pathogens on the fetus can be detrimental. In addition, it is much more difficult to treat a pregnant woman, and prescribing antibiotics “by eye” is simply unacceptable.

Seeding methods

To isolate pure cultures of pathogens, at the first stage they resort to their inoculation on appropriate media, which is carried out under special (sterile!) conditions. Basically, the transfer of material to the environment is carried out with the help of devices used back in the 19th century by the great Louis Pasteur:

  • bacterial loop;
  • Pasteur pipette;
  • Glass rod.

Of course, many instruments have undergone changes over the 2 centuries, plastic sterile and disposable ones have replaced them, however, the old ones have not remained in the past, continuing to serve microbiological science to this day.

The first stage of obtaining colonies requires compliance with certain rules:

  1. Sowing is carried out over an alcohol lamp in a box pre-treated with disinfectants and quartz treatment, or in a laminar cabinet that ensures sterility in the working area;
  2. The health worker's clothing, gloves, and environment must also be sterile, since the opposite prevents isolation of isolated strains;
  3. You need to work in boxing quickly, but carefully, you can’t talk and be distracted, while you need to remember about personal safety, because the material can be contagious.

Isolation of strains and study of pure cultures

The isolation of strains is not always the same, since some biological media that are in the human body require an individual approach, for example, hemoculture (blood) first in a liquid medium (ratio 1: 10) is “growth” a little, since blood (undiluted) can kill microorganisms, and then, after a day or more, subcultured on Petri dishes.

Sowing urine, gastric lavage and other liquid materials also has its own characteristics, where in order to obtain a pure culture, the liquid must first be centrifuged (aseptic conditions!), And only then sow, and not the liquid itself, but its sediment.

Cultivation and cultivation of colonies is carried out on Petri dishes or placed first in a liquid medium poured into sterile vials, and then isolated colonies are sown again, but on slant agar and the material is placed in a thermostat for a day. After making sure that the resulting culture is pure, the strains are transferred to a glass slide, a smear is made and stained according to Gram (most often), Ziehl-Neelsen, etc., and for differentiation, the morphology of the microbe is studied under a microscope:

  • The size and shape of the bacterial cell;
  • The presence of capsules, flagella, spores;
  • Tinctorial properties (the ratio of the microorganism to staining) *.

* The reader has probably heard of such a pathogen as pale treponema? This is the causative agent of syphilis, and therefore its name (pale) appeared because it does not perceive paint well and remains slightly pinkish when stained according to Romanovsky. Microorganisms that do not perceive aniline dyes are called gram-negative, and perceiving - gram-positive. Gram-negative bacteria are given a pink or red color by Gram staining with additional dyes (magenta, safranin).

Tank sowing can be called an ancient analysis, but its popularity does not fall from this, although modern bacteriology has the ability to isolate not only strains, but also a single cell from it, which is called clone. However, to obtain a clone, a special device is needed - a micromanipulator, which is not available in conventional laboratories, since it is used mainly for research purposes (genetic studies).

Every expectant mother needs to regularly take a urine culture tank during pregnancy. It is one of those studies that are needed to confirm that the baby is developing safely and there are no complications.

Method for studying infection in the body Analysis
doctor's care
pulls charging


During pregnancy, it is the urine smear culture tank that is considered the most highly informative research method. The study is not cheap, but it cannot be ignored.

When women are prescribed a culture test during pregnancy, many do not know what it is. This is a laboratory study to determine inflammation and infection of the organ from which the doctor took the material.

Highly informative research method

During the study, bacteria are grown at a certain temperature in a favorable and nutritious area for them. Only under special conditions can one competently examine many biological materials: bile, urine, feces, blood.

Tank seeding during pregnancy is done for certain purposes:

  • detection of the presence of pathogenic microorganisms;
  • identification of their number;
  • determination of the level of pathogenicity.

In addition, tank seeding during pregnancy allows you to determine which medications microorganisms and bacteria are sensitive to. Only then can the most safe and effective treatment be carried out.

What research needs to be done?

During pregnancy, materials for analysis on the tank are taken from different organs of the woman: the vagina, nose, bladder. This allows you to get the most complete picture of the state of health of a woman.

An analysis of seeding from the cervical canal, carried out during pregnancy, allows you to identify various genitourinary infections in the body (trichomoniasis, ureaplasmosis, chlamydia, mycoplasmosis), sexually transmitted diseases that are very dangerous for expectant mothers. Infections can threaten the life of the baby and provoke a miscarriage.

May detect various urinary infections

When during pregnancy you donate a culture tank from the cervical canal, be prepared for the fact that the results will come at least 5 days later. This is how long it takes for bacteria to grow.

During pregnancy, it is necessary to conduct a urine culture. This analysis is included in the list of the main ones. Even if the general study showed a good result, this does not mean that you do not have an asymptomatic (hidden) or chronic form of any infectious pathology of the genitourinary system. It is better to prevent the onset of the disease than to treat its advanced stage later. In addition, there is a risk of either losing a child or giving birth to an unhealthy one.

Urine cultures are required during pregnancy, as approximately 6% of expectant mothers have asymptomatic bacteriuria, although their urinalysis is normal. When you take a urine culture during pregnancy, the doctor usually tells you what it shows. It may contain large amounts of Escherichia coli, Fecal Enterococcus, Staphylococcus aureus, Candida fungi, etc.

When treatment is not available or is delayed, the infection begins to spread and can affect the kidneys. This will cause inflammation of the kidneys - pyelonephritis.

During pregnancy, the doctor can refer not only to the delivery of a smear or urine, but also to the study of the seeding tank from the nose. This allows you to identify the presence of Staphylococcus aureus, since the disease can pass from an infected woman to her child.

The analysis must be taken as early as possible in order to have time to be treated if necessary. The material is taken on the basis of a laboratory or clinic and does not require special training. When the results show bacteria, the doctor immediately prescribes treatment to the patient, because ignoring therapy threatens to infect the fetus in the womb or through the birth canal during childbirth.

We leave early to have time to be treated

Similar studies are also paid. However, it is necessary to take them, because it is timely diagnosis and competent treatment of infections that help to save the child and carry it safely.

After you get your hands on the results of the research, be sure to make an appointment with a doctor for a consultation and decoding. Do not panic if the doctor finds abnormalities in you. This is not always a sign of any pathology. The results depend on a large number of factors, so only a specialist can give an accurate assessment.

The doctor does not always prescribe the necessary treatment immediately, sometimes he sends for re-analysis. Let's figure out how to take tests for a urine culture tank, which are necessary during pregnancy.

How to donate urine?

When you receive a referral for a urine culture, ask your doctor how to take it. There is nothing difficult in this.

  1. Insert a cotton swab into your vagina.
  2. Collect an average portion of morning urine.
  3. Deliver the jar to the laboratory in a maximum of two hours.

The material collection container must be extremely sterile. It will be very difficult to sterilize any jar at home, so it is best to buy it at a pharmacy.

Wash thoroughly with soap in the morning. To prevent bacteria from the vagina from getting into the container with urine, you should insert a cotton swab into it and only after that begin to collect urine. It is best to take medium urine. To do this, you need to urinate a little into the toilet and only then draw a small amount of material into the container.

It is advisable to deliver the container to the laboratory within an hour. The maximum allowable time is 2 hours. Only then will the results be accurate. Your doctor will decide on treatment based on the results, so it's important to know how to collect your urine culture when you're pregnant.

Deciphering the results

As already mentioned, when you pass a urine culture tank during pregnancy, you must definitely ask the doctor for a transcript.

The results of the analyzes are determined in CFU / ml - colony-forming units per 1 ml of liquid:

  • when, during gestation, you did an analysis of your urine for a culture tank and the indicator turned out to be less than 1000 CFU / ml, then you are healthy, this number of bacteria does not need treatment.
  • if the indicators are from 100 to 100,000 CFU / ml, then these are dubious tests, the doctor will most likely refer you for a second study.
  • if the obtained test results show an indicator above 100,000 CFU / ml, then you are infected with an infection that requires urgent treatment (so many bacteria usually cause infections and inflammations, so a woman is prescribed antibiotic treatment).

The results usually list all the microorganisms that are found in the urine. These may include various bacteria, fungi or protozoa. To determine the sensitivity of microorganisms to various medications, the doctor prescribes another study called an antibactogram.

Gets a doctor's diagnosis

During it, the sensitivity of bacteria to drugs is checked so that the prescribed treatment is as effective as possible. The results obtained must also be deciphered so that the woman can receive detailed explanations and precise instructions for further action.

When you receive a culture tank form during pregnancy, it usually lists the microorganisms that inhabit the cervical canal. Under normal conditions, fungi are absent, but at least 107 bifidobacteria and lactobacilli are present. A large number of enterococci and E. coli is very dangerous. Yeast fungi are also dangerous, especially with the presence of mycelium.

The analysis reveals the presence of leptothrix, gardnerella, trichomonas, gonococcus, proteus, citrobacter, staphylococcus aureus (golden, epidermal). It is worth knowing that chlamydia, mycoplasma and ureaplasma are intracellular parasites, so the usual study for their detection is not suitable. It is necessary to carry out PCR of the cervical canal.

Among the many tests given by a pregnant woman for 9 months, there is a separate category - bacteriological cultures. The purpose of these studies is to identify harmful bacteria in the body of the expectant mother, which can cause various pathologies and abnormalities during childbearing. The analysis allows you to identify the causative agents of acute and chronic infections, as well as to identify their sensitivity to certain antimicrobial drugs.

How to take a tank sowing a smear from the cervical canal during pregnancy

The essence of bacteriological seeding is that in the laboratory under special conditions at a certain temperature regime, a small amount of the patient's biological material (urine, blood, mucus, feces or bile) is applied to a nutrient medium. If there are pathogenic microbes in the test substance, then within 3-7 days in a nutrient medium they form a whole colony of bacteria. This is how the presence and quantity of harmful microbes is detected in the area from which the material for analysis is taken.

Usually, pregnant women are prescribed the following bacteriological tests:

  • tank sowing a smear from the cervical canal (determines if a woman has sexually transmitted diseases that can affect the development of the fetus);
  • urine culture tank (determines inflammatory diseases of the urinary system);
  • a tank of sowing mucus from the nose (to identify the pathogens of Staphylococcus aureus, this microbe can cause severe illness in a child immediately after birth).

Tank seeding from the cervical canal is not prescribed for all pregnant women. When registering women take a total smear from the vagina. If it contains an increased number of leukocytes, then this indicates an inflammatory process. To clarify its cause, this study is prescribed.

The cervical canal (pharynx) is located between the vagina and the cervix. During pregnancy, a so-called cork is formed in this place, which protects the fetus from external harmful influences. While the fetus is growing and developing, the pharynx should be closed, and immediately before the birth, the cork comes out - and the pharynx expands to almost 10 cm.

To get accurate results, you need to prepare for this test. This can be done a few days before the material is taken, but better - a week and a half. It is necessary to stop taking any antibacterial drugs; exclude the use of vaginal suppositories or creams; the day before the analysis, refrain from sexual activity, and immediately before the analysis itself, do not urinate or wash yourself.

To take material from the cervical canal from the pregnant woman for further examination, the gynecologist inserts a gynecological speculum into the vagina. Then a mucus sample is collected with a special brush, which is inserted to a depth of approximately 2 cm. The resulting biomaterial is placed in a test tube with a gel-like liquid, hermetically sealed and sent to the laboratory for study. As a rule, after five days the result of the culture tank from the cervical canal is ready.

Urine for sowing during pregnancy is given twice: at the first visit due to pregnancy and registration, as well as at the end of the gestation period, after about 35 weeks. If a woman has previously had diseases of the kidneys, bladder, as well as when protein and leukocytes are detected in a general urine test, such a test is prescribed more often. It can also be prescribed additionally if there are certain complaints, including: discomfort when going to the toilet, constant pain in the lumbar region and in the lower abdomen, a constant feeling of fullness in the bladder.

This study allows you to identify pathogens of infectious and inflammatory processes in the urinary system. Sometimes these conditions are asymptomatic, but can affect the condition of the fetus. Therefore, according to the results of the study, treatment of a urological infection can be prescribed.

It is worth preparing for the delivery of such an analysis. A few days before the test, you should avoid foods that can change the color of urine (beets, carrots), as well as diuretic foods and drinks. The day before the analysis, exclude strong physical exertion. To collect biomaterial, you need to purchase a sterile container. The first morning urine (middle portion) is best suited for analysis. Before urination, you need to thoroughly wash yourself (without antiseptics). The vagina should be closed with a cotton swab so that microorganisms from there do not mix with urine. Specify the amount of fluid required for the study when receiving a referral for analysis. Biological material must be transferred to the laboratory no later than two hours after collection. The result will be ready within a week.

Tank sowing feces helps to identify dysbacteriosis (disturbances in the state of the intestinal microflora). This analysis is prescribed in the case when other tests did not reveal the causative agent of an infectious disease.

The material for analysis - approximately 2 grams (teaspoon) of feces - is collected in a sterile container, it can be bought at a pharmacy. After collection, as soon as possible, the analysis should be transferred to the laboratory for research. Before this analysis, you can not use laxatives, put an enema, use suppositories, take iron, barium, bismuth, castor or vaseline oil preparations. This may affect the result. Feces should not contain impurities, such as urine.

The stool culture tank is examined within 4-7 days.

What the sowing tank shows - decoding

The interpretation of the results obtained is carried out by the laboratory assistant. He prepares his competent conclusion about the presence of a certain number of certain microorganisms, as well as their sensitivity to antibiotics.

If the results of the culture tank show an excess of the normative amount of bacteria or fungi, then the doctor can diagnose the disease and prescribe treatment.

The culture tank from the cervical canal of a healthy woman contains only lacto- and bifidobacteria. Fungi should not be. E. coli is acceptable in small quantities. Exceeding the allowable indicators indicates the development of pathology. The same conclusion, if staphylococcus, gonococcus, fungal microorganisms, trichomonas, gardnerella are found in the sowing tank.

The determining factor in such a study of urine is the concentration of microorganisms. This indicator is called CFU (colony forming units). In the urine of a healthy woman, microbes are also present in small quantities, but only their high concentration signals health problems. The norm is considered to be below 1000 CFU per milliliter. If the result is in the range from 1000 to 10000 CFU / ml, then the doctor may prescribe a second examination. If more than 10,000 CFU / ml were detected in the laboratory, then the body is affected by a serious infection that requires immediate treatment.

What does a bad analysis on a seeding tank mean?

A bad seed tank indicates the presence of a disease. So the doctor can prescribe treatment. Sometimes, to clarify the diagnosis, the analysis is repeated or sent for additional studies. For example, if the CFU index exceeds 10,000 units per milliliter in a urine test, then a woman may be prescribed an ultrasound of the kidneys, a smear from the urethra, as well as determining the sensitivity of bacteria to drugs. This is followed by antibiotic treatment.

Similarly, it happens if other tank crops show poor performance, that is, an increased number of harmful microorganisms. Infections that are potentially dangerous to the fetus must be cured, for this, antimicrobials that are safe for pregnant women are chosen, as well as supporting agents, vitamins. Refusing treatment or choosing medicines on your own is unwise and can be dangerous to the health of a woman and her child.

After treatment, the seeding tank will need to be retaken.

Especially for -Ekaterina Vlasenko