Genitals of a 10 year old girl. What synechiae looks like in girls and how it should be - photo

The main concern of every mother is to monitor the health of her child in order to promptly identify and treat various childhood diseases in gynecology. This is especially true for girls, because most factors of modern life can significantly affect her reproductive functions in the future, being the source of the problem.

Gynecological diseases in girls are mainly associated with a weakened immune system, inflammatory processes in the genital area, poor hygiene, or vice versa - excessive care. If the mother notices her daughter’s painful condition when urinating (other reasons are also taken into account), then she must be shown to a qualified pediatric gynecologist. The doctor will conduct an examination, if necessary, take a smear and prescribe treatment or preventive measures.

Symptoms of childhood gynecological diseases in girls

To prevent many serious diseases in gynecology, it is necessary to diagnose their initial stage in time through a comprehensive examination of the child. Parents should sound the alarm if the following symptoms appear:

• inflammation of the skin and mucous membranes of the external genital organs;
• urine tests revealed a high level of protein, leukocytes and various protozoan microorganisms;
• when urinating, leucorrhoea is observed from the vagina, and a burning and itching sensation is also felt, causing pain in the perineum;
  endocrine and allergic childhood diseases;
• abnormalities of the external reproductive organs and earlier manifestation or absence of secondary sexual characteristics in children under 8 years of age;
• constant relapse of chronic infectious diseases - rheumatism, tonsillitis, as well as a painful condition after surgery on the abdominal organs;
• presence of foreign bodies;
• fusion of the labia minora (synechia);
• Adolescent girls experience obesity or pathological weight loss during puberty.

It is worth considering that the symptoms of gynecological problems in children can also be affected by diseases of the mother. Especially if she is sick with trichomoniasis or chlamydia, gonorrhea, genital herpes and thrush, which are transmitted to the child through the birth canal.

Important! If symptoms of gynecological diseases appear, parents should not treat the child themselves using folk remedies. In order not to harm the girl’s health even more, a consultation with an experienced pediatric gynecologist is recommended.

Only a doctor can prescribe treatment and, if necessary, from conservative therapy with hormonal drugs to correction of abnormal development of the reproductive organs through surgery.

Characteristics of groups of gynecological diseases in girls

All diseases of girls in early and teenage years are divided into several groups, according to the causes of their occurrence.

Inflammatory diseases:

1. Vulvitis. The disease is provoked by streptococci, enterococci, E. coli, staphylococci and other microorganisms that cause irritation and redness of the genitals. At the same time, leucorrhoea is released.
2. Vulvovaginitis. Inflammation of the mucous membrane and labia of the vagina with copious discharge that smells unpleasant occurs due to helminthic infestation and the entry of foreign objects into the genitals.
3. Colpitis (vaginitis).
4. Cystitis. Due to vaginal dysbiosis, a disruption in the functioning of the bladder occurs. Experienced doctors recommend not delaying treatment of the disease, as the infection can spread to the kidneys, which can lead to more serious problems for the body.

Also, in childhood girls, one can observe diseases that arise as a result of infection of the body and abnormal structure of the genital organs.

Types of gynecological diseases

They are divided into the following diseases:

• candidiasis (thrush) - the source of the disease is a yeast-like fungus of the genus Candida, which is activated by decreased immunity, a stressful situation, and is also transmitted through the birth canal of the mother to the newborn child. Thrush is manifested by itching and burning in the vaginal area, discharge of a cheesy leucorrhoea with a sour odor. Candidiasis should not be treated independently - it can “develop” into a chronic form;
• Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted disease caused by gonococcus, which affects the mucous membrane of the genitourinary system. Often, an adult woman may not know that she is infected with the disease, while infecting her daughter. It is necessary to know the signs of this disease in order to prevent the last stage of the disease, which you can read about here.
• synechia - fusion of the labia minora can be congenital, as well as due to excessive hygiene of the genitals using soap, urinary infections, “echoes” of vulvitis and vulvovaginitis, allergic manifestations;
• Juvenile uterine bleeding (JUB) is observed in girls during the establishment of the menstrual cycle and is exclusively of hormonal etiology. Its signs: menstruation lasts more than a week, its frequency can be less than 21 days, there are no bloody clots in the menstrual discharge and they themselves are scarlet in color. JMC occurs due to physical and mental overload, asthenic physique and other factors;
• inflammation of the uterine appendages is characterized by aching pain in the lower abdomen, which is localized on the right and left, during menstruation. The causes of this gynecological disease in girls are hypothermia, loss of immunity due to acute and chronic diseases of the body.

The mother should definitely pay attention to the absence of the menstrual cycle in her daughter, which may be associated with primary and secondary amenorrhea, endometriosis, and oncological tumors of the genital organs.

Prevention of gynecological diseases in girls

To prevent many gynecological problems in girls of different ages, it is necessary to take care of their hygiene from the very first days of life. The mother must follow a number of important rules that will serve as preventive measures in the occurrence of many diseases in gynecology.

What should be emphasized in the proper development of a girl:

1. Proper hygienic care of the genitals of the future woman. It is necessary to constantly wash the genitals with warm water without soap with an aggressive environment in order to avoid drying and injury to the skin and mucous membranes of the vagina. It is not recommended to wipe the vagina with a hard towel - you need to carefully blot it with a clean cloth. It is necessary to teach your daughter to wash herself every evening, especially during the menstrual cycle, and also to change sterile pads.
2. Avoid hypothermia (especially during menstruation). Make sure that the child does not walk around in wet underwear and a bathing suit - this risks the occurrence of cystitis and inflammation of the uterine appendages.
3. Parents must observe the daily routine of their growing daughter - alternate physical and mental activity, adhere to proper nutrition, distribute active work and rest.
4. Do not allow the child to experience stress - this negatively affects the girl’s reproductive system.
5. Protect the baby from all kinds of infections in the body that cause chronic diseases (tonsillitis, tonsillitis, ARVI, diphtheria and scarlet fever).
6. To maintain the health of a girl’s genital area, a scheduled visit to a pediatric gynecologist is necessary once a year, especially for children over 6 years old.

Compliance with preventive rules in the future will contribute to the health of the reproductive organs, which is important for bearing and giving birth to offspring.

Our clinic employs an experienced pediatric gynecologist. The doctor is female, so your child will have minimal discomfort.

Video of genital diseases in children

It is worth considering that the gynecological picture of morbidity in early and adolescent girls is influenced by many medical and social signs, as well as somatic pathology.

Risk factors that can provoke gynecological diseases in a child are complications during pregnancy and childbirth of the mother, problems in the neonatal age, as well as poor social and living conditions.

So that parents can recognize a gynecological disease in their daughter, we recommend that they watch the video below, demonstrating diseases of the genital organs in children.

The genital apparatus of a child differs significantly in its size and structure from the genital organs of an adult. In the first 6 years of life, the growth of the genital organs is insignificant and does not correspond to the growth of the entire body. Subsequently, it intensifies somewhat, and at the age of 14-15 years, a teenager experiences significant changes in the development of the genital organs.

Anatomy of the genital organs in boys.

The foreskin of newborns is usually longer than that of infants, protrudes strongly, and is quite narrow, which causes the presence of physiological phimosis. On the inner surface of the foreskin, and especially on the head, there are numerous glands that form smegma.

In newborns, the foreskin of the penis, due to gluing of the inner layer of the foreskin and the outer surface of the glans, sticks to the head (their epithelial cells do not undergo the process of keratinization). Until the age of 3, this adhesion is usually observed up to the opening of the urethra, then, under the influence of erections and manual manipulation, the size of the adhesion decreases, and by the 5th year of life, the head is only half closed, and by the 8-10th year the entire head is exposed.

The length of the urethra in newborn boys is 5-6 cm. With age, it increases annually by an average of 0.5 cm, and by the age of 16 it reaches 16-18 cm.

The mucous membrane of the children's urethra is smooth, without folds. The glands of the urethra have a very small diameter of the excretory ducts, which is vitally important because it makes it difficult for pathogenic microorganisms to penetrate the corresponding organs, thereby preventing the development of complications. Therefore, urethritis, which sometimes occurs in infants, has a short course and is usually not accompanied by complications (epididymitis, orchitis, etc.). However, the urethral mucosa of infants is very thin throughout its entire length and is easily torn.

The scrotum in a newborn is a small sac (4.5x3.5 cm) with flaccid walls. By the first year of life, it becomes more rounded, and its walls become more tense. The scrotum retains its rounded shape during the first decade, and by the age of 15 it has a wide bottom with testicles and a narrower part - the neck.

Shortly before birth, the testicle descends into the scrotum, carrying the vas deferens with it, and takes its final position. In a newborn, the testicles are relatively small, then their growth slows down, and during the first 10 years they increase little in size and weight. A slight increase is observed between 10 and 14 years; by 16-18 years, the testicles reach their maximum development, acquiring the properties of a mature sex gland.

The testicular parenchyma of a newborn is relatively rich in connective tissue. Its seminiferous tubules are cords due to the absence of gaps in them. The latter are formed only with the beginning of spermatogenesis.

The epididymis of a newborn is more pronounced than in adults. Its mass is more than half the mass of the testicle. Just like the testicle, the epididymis grows slightly in the first 10 years of life and only during puberty does it quickly increase in size.

The spermatic cord in newborns and infants has a diameter of 14 mm, at the age of 15 years - 18 mm, and in adults - 20-25 mm. The vas deferens is basically similar to that of an adult. As a result of the growth of the organism, its length doubles. The seminal vesicle in a newborn is located higher than in an adult man, but does not differ in shape. It grows slowly, its significant increase occurs only during puberty.

The prostate gland in a newborn consists predominantly of smooth muscle and connective tissue; It has a spherical shape, is not divided into lobes, and does not have an isthmus. It takes on the chestnut form only at the age of 13-14 years. The weight of the gland is on average 0.82 g; up to 2 years it increases slightly, growing noticeably between the ages of 6 and 16 years. Inside the gland there are blind epithelial tubes; by the age of 12, the ducts of the gland begin to branch, and their secretion intensifies; by the age of 16-17 years, the excretory ducts of the tubular-alveolar prostatic glands open.

Anatomy and physiology of the genital organs in girls.

The vestibule of the vagina is lined with cells of stratified squamous epithelium. The small glands of the vestibule are located mainly at the external opening of the urethra. Newborn girls have significantly more of them than adult women. The large glands of the vestibule (Bartholin's glands) begin to function during puberty; by the age of 10-12 years their excretory ducts have a typical structure - covered with columnar epithelium.

The length of the urethra in newborn girls is 1-1.5 cm, at the age of 1 month. - 1.6 cm, 12 months. - 2.2 cm, 16 years - 3.2 cm. The external opening of the urethra opens into the vestibule 1-1.5 cm below the clitoris between the labia minora; has an oval or slot-like shape. The mucous membrane of the urethra in girls is rich in folds. The glands of Littre and the lacunae of Morgagni are located along the entire length of the urethra, but there are more of them in the anterior part of the canal. Some of them open into the vestibule of the vagina.

The ovaries in childhood grow slowly, and their weight increases gradually: by the end of the 1st year of life it doubles, by the age of 6 it increases 7 times, and by the age of 16 it increases 20 times compared to the weight at birth and reaches 5-6 g. The ovaries in newborns have an elongated and flattened shape, their surface is smooth, weight from 0.2 to 0.4 g. At the 2nd year of life they begin to become ovoid and are fully formed by 10 years old.

The number of primary follicles decreases with age: in a 17-day-old child there are about 23 rows, in a 10-year-old girl - 6-8. During puberty, follicles in the cortex are at different stages of development. The oviducts do not lengthen in childhood. The convolutions of the oviducts decrease in the 5th year of life, when the transverse size of the pelvis increases. The ovarian ligaments stretch, and they, separating from the uterus, take their normal position.

By the time a girl is born, her uterus is about 4 cm long, her body is half as long as her cervix. After birth, involution occurs and its size decreases due to the cessation of the action of the placental secretion, which stimulates the growth of the uterus. In infancy, the length of the uterus is. 2.5-2.8 cm. Increased growth of the uterus begins after the age of 7-8 years. With the onset of puberty, it takes on the shape and size of the uterus of an adult woman.

At the time of birth, the girl has uterine glands. Their number is individual and varies significantly regardless of the girl’s age. At the age of 6 years, a small number of glands are located mainly on the fundus of the uterus. By the age of 10, their number increases, and after 12 years, they evenly penetrate the entire mucous membrane of the uterus.

In newborns, the length of the vagina reaches 3 cm, the entrance is located very deep, has an almost vertical direction, as if drawn in like a funnel. The walls of the vagina are in close contact, the muscles are poorly developed and have little elasticity. In one-year-old girls, the length of the vagina is 4 cm. From the age of 8, folding of the walls appears. The absolute size of the vagina increases rapidly after 10 years of life and reaches 7-8 cm in length by the time of puberty.

In a newborn girl, the functional and morphological state of the vagina is influenced by placental hormones. The mucous membrane is well developed, the epithelium contains glycogen, and the contents are acidic. As placental estrogens disappear from 1 year to 10-12 years, glycogen is not formed in the vagina, there are no Dederlein rods, the reaction of the contents becomes alkaline (pH 7-8), as a result of this there is no protective function of the vagina, the epithelial cover becomes thinner.

In girls aged 12-14 years, the ovaries begin to produce their own sex hormones. The vaginal mucosa thickens, glycogen is formed in it, the reaction becomes acidic, Dederlein's vaginal bacillus appear in the vaginal contents, the uterus enlarges - all this indicates that puberty is approaching.

But we want to convince you - this is a very important procedure for girls, for their future.

Let's look into this issue! So: Girls hygiene.

A girl’s genitals are still very “small” at birth, but already need careful care. At an early age, the mother takes on this care. How she takes care of her baby’s genitals determines whether her “baby” will be able to become a happy mother in the future.

Infants' skin is very delicate. The epidermis is vulnerable and any infection can create an inflammatory process. The same can be said about the lack of hygiene, in particular hygiene of the genital organs. Girls' genitals are vulnerable not only externally, but also internally. The genital mucosa in infants, which is usually designed to protect against infection, is still poorly developed.

In the first days after birth, girls may experience spotting. This is a normal process, since the girl still has her mother’s hormones, which are eliminated in this way. Therefore, there should be no panic. The discharge goes away in a couple of days. It is necessary to change disposable diapers every two hours and follow the rules of hygiene.

Washing procedure

Under no circumstances should you wash a girl’s genitals in a bathtub. It is better to wash the child with running boiled water. You can use damp cotton swabs for washing. The water procedure should be performed after each diaper change. While washing, the mother should move her hand from the pubis to the tailbone, in this direction. Otherwise, fecal remains may fall on the labia, and inflammation will begin.

In the first year of life, it is better not to use cosmetics to wash the genitals, and it is also better not to use potassium permanganate and other products. They dry out the skin and destroy the weak protective function of the skin that has already appeared. After a year, you can use a special liquid soap for girls’ intimate hygiene and only if feces come into contact with the skin. Only the surface of the genital organs, that is, the large lips, is washed with soap. The soapy substance should not get into the genital crack.

Dry the skin after washing. After this, you need to lubricate the outer part of the genitals with baby cream.

BASIC RULES!

Provide your child with your own intimate hygiene supplies - separate soap, towel, sponge.

Before the procedure, wash your hands thoroughly with soap.

The process itself is carried out as follows: we spread the labia and direct a warm stream of water from the stomach to the butt. Remember that you cannot direct the stream of water from the butt to the genitals - this will easily cause infection.

We use pH-neutral baby soap. Gently soap the baby's perineum in the same way from front to back. We wash it off. Finally, gently pat dry with a soft towel.

We carry out the procedures twice a day - in the morning and before bedtime. Moms without FANATISM!

Never allow detergents to get into the vagina - this can disrupt its normal microflora.

When using a shower, do not make the stream very strong; the water should flow out in a diffuse stream.

Avoid synthetics in pants and panties. Underwear should be made only from natural, soft materials. For example, cotton or linen. Synthetic materials do not allow the skin to breathe and promote various inflammations. In addition, artificial fabric fibers cannot absorb the secretions that occur in girls, as a result they accumulate and rub the skin, causing inflammation. The baby's clothes should always be loose: do not tighten the genital area or restrict movement.

We change linen twice a day. We wash a towel specially designated for intimate hygiene 2 times a week.

Wash all baby items separately. After washing, be sure to iron the towel and linen with a hot iron.

If inflammation, severe redness and swelling occur, contact a pediatric gynecologist to find out the cause - it is an infection, allergy, vitamin deficiency, or maybe worms.

In girls, a white-yellow substance, smegma, accumulates in the genital folds, which performs a protective function. This is absolutely normal. If too much smegma has accumulated, remove it with a gauze swab, which must first be soaked in boiled oil (after it has cooled) - apricot, peach, or Vaseline.

Smegma

Many mothers begin to panic when they see that a girl has leucorrhoea. Although she hasn't even started her period yet. Be prepared that in the period from the first three to four months of life, from seven to nine and from thirteen to fourteen years, a white coating will form on the child’s labia. This does not indicate a disease at all, but that the genital organs are developing and maturing. Smegma is the result of the work of the sebaceous glands of the external genitalia. Remove white discharge with a swab dipped in boiled olive oil or boiled water. This is how you can act when the child is small. At an older age, the mother can tell the baby about these secretions and teach the child to independently care for the genitals.

By all of the above methods, namely hygiene of the genital area, we try to “escape” from many diseases. But mainly from vulvovaginitis. This is an inflammation of the female genitals, which is localized on the outer part of the genital organs. Most often, little girls under ten years of age suffer from vulvovaginitis. All due to the underdeveloped protective function of the body and poor hygiene. The disease develops and can lead to disastrous consequences, which are difficult to immediately determine. In the future, the girl may become infertile. Therefore, dear mothers, do not disdain the rules of hygiene.

Now let’s look in more detail at the features of girls’ intimate hygiene depending on age.

Intimate hygiene for girls under 1 year old

The skin of newborn girls is thin and delicate, so we carry out all hygiene procedures as carefully as possible.

Change diapers after they get wet (about once every 2-3 hours), and also after the child poops. After changing the diaper, we rinse the girl’s genitals with warm water, and after defecation, we thoroughly wash with a baby cleanser or treat the perineum with hypoallergenic baby wipes.

After this, you can lubricate the child’s perineum with boiled peach or apricot oil. Do not use talc in the perineal area - it often irritates the baby's delicate skin.

Try not to put your baby without diapers, diapers or onesies in your bed, and under no circumstances use a shared basin or towel for procedures. Unfortunately, young children often get sick with “adult diseases” due to not following these rules.

Use special baby powders to wash towels and diapers.

Intimate hygiene for girls under 7 years old

The child becomes mobile. In this regard, try to choose underwear that fits well to the body, but does not rub or sting anywhere. Close-fitting underwear will prevent sand and soil from getting on the genitals, which is especially important in the summer.

From the age of 3, your baby can carry out hygiene procedures herself. First show her how to do it correctly on a doll.

Children at this age love to imitate adults. Therefore, the mother should refrain from intimate hygiene procedures with her daughter - inserting tampons, douching. There are frequent cases of foreign bodies getting into the vagina and injuries in girls who played “at mom” in this way.

Intimate hygiene for school-age girls

Before puberty, intimate hygiene for girls will be the same as for preschool girls. The only thing worth mentioning is timely emptying of the intestines and bladder. The child goes to school, and the girls are very shy in this regard. Discuss with your child that tolerating it is very harmful, it leads to stagnation in the pelvis and can result in various deviations in the development of the reproductive system.

Around the age of 10-11, a girl needs to talk about the beginning of menstruation, tell what it is, because if the girl remains in the dark, she may be afraid of the arrival of her period, hide this fact in every possible way from adults and independently use inappropriate objects as pads.

A few words about the intimate hygiene of girls during menstruation:

You need to change the gasket 2-3 times a day.

On such days it is better to “increase” washing up to 3 times.

Gynecologists do not recommend using tampons, even mini-sized ones.

With the arrival of the first menstruation, you can start using special detergents for women's intimate hygiene instead of baby soap, for example, Lactacid Femina. The lactic acid contained there protects against microbes.

The most important thing is that a loving mother should know about the intimate hygiene of her girl.

Health to your daughters!

One of the most exciting times of pregnancy is determining the sex of the baby. But it often happens that the child’s genitals do not look at all like what mom and dad expected.
After birth, the baby's genitals may be covered in bruises or remain sore for several days after the baby is born due to injuries during childbirth. Swelling may also appear due to an excess of maternal hormones that enter the baby’s body during intrauterine development. As a rule, after a few days the baby’s genitals acquire their normal appearance.
Parents of newborns pay a lot of attention to the genitals of their babies. And not only their appearance, but also what stands out from them. Indeed, this part of the child’s body is far from the least important when it comes to his health. The size, shape, and smell of the genitals can signal a number of diseases, from the most minor to the very serious and life-threatening. Parents can easily determine whether the baby’s urinary system is functioning normally. To do this, it is enough to monitor how he urinates, as well as the speed and power of the urine flow.

Boy or girl?:

Sometimes it happens that after the birth of a baby it is not possible to fully determine his gender. This suggests that the child was born with pathologies of sexual development. Previously, this phenomenon was called external genitalia of the intermediate type. This is quite a rare occurrence. At the same time, the child’s genitals do not look the way we are used to seeing them. A girl may have an enlarged clitoris, making it look like a penis. The labia may grow together and resemble a scrotum.

In fact, the sex of the baby is determined at the moment of conception. But various hormonal, genetic, chemical and many other factors during pregnancy can affect the development of tissues from which the male and female genital organs of the fetus are formed. The exact reason for this is not always possible to determine. At risk are those babies whose families have had similar cases, as well as whose mothers took steroid hormones, progesterone, and estrogen during pregnancy.
The main cause of pathology of sexual development in girls is congenital adrenal hyperplasia. This is a very rare and dangerous genetic disorder in which the adrenal glands produce too much androgens (male sex hormones) and too little cortisol. Boys with the same congenital disease may have an enlarged penis, but in most cases they will not have any external manifestations of the pathology.

In most US states, newborn babies are required to be tested for congenital adrenal hyperplasia. In the absence of proper hormone replacement therapy, this condition can lead to acute adrenal insufficiency. Signs indicating the possible presence of pathology in newborns are the following:

Weight loss;
Lack of appetite;
Vomit;
Dehydration.

Treatment for congenital adrenal hyperplasia includes hormone therapy or reconstructive surgery (usually removal of the adrenal gland). Despite the presence of this disease, most children live normal lives, have a normal sex life and have children of their own.
If you have any doubts about the sex of your baby, you should consult a pediatric endocrinologist as soon as possible.

Vaginal disorders:

Children's periods

Newborn babies have vaginal discharge, which is called physiological leucorrhoea. The reason for their appearance is maternal hormones, which actively circulate in the girl’s blood in the first weeks after birth. They can be transparent, or have a pink, red or white color. If such leucorrhoea contains blood, it is called pseudomenstruation. They are very similar to menstrual flow in women and are associated with a sharp increase in estrogen levels in the blood.
Such discharge is absolutely safe for a newborn girl. They stop within a few days. But there are times when they last for several weeks. If pseudomenstruation lasts too long, this may indicate the presence of a vaginal infection in the newborn.

Vaginal swelling

Most girls are born with swollen labia. While in the womb, both girls and boys are exposed to maternal hormones, which lead to swelling of the breasts and genitals, which is very often observed by parents of newborn girls. As a rule, everything goes away in 2-4 weeks.
But if the child’s swelling does not go away, then this may be a sign of congenital vaginal obstruction. This is a very rare disease caused by a fused hymen. Some girls are born without an opening in the thin fold of mucous membrane that covers the entrance to the vagina. This causes fluid to accumulate in the middle of the vagina, causing swelling. Sometimes there is an enlargement of the uterus.
As a rule, doctors diagnose fusion of the hymen immediately after the birth of a girl, but sometimes it can only be detected during puberty, when the girl begins her period. To normalize the condition of the newborn, a simple outpatient operation to open the hymen is used.

Unpleasant vaginal odor

The presence of an unpleasant odor almost always indicates that there is an infection, which is called vaginitis or vulvovaginitis. In addition to an unpleasant odor, the following symptoms may indicate the presence of the disease:

Irritated and reddened skin around the external genitalia;
- Discharge;
- Itching (more often diagnosed in older girls). Make sure your baby doesn't touch her genitals.

Vaginitis often occurs in babies who have not yet used the potty, since microorganisms contained in feces and urine are retained in diapers and provoke the development of the disease. Girls who were born as a result of premature birth or with low birth weight are prone to vaginitis.
Vaginitis may indicate the presence of other infections. The thing is that older girls love to explore their genitals and can spread infections from the mouth and nose with their hands.

Treatment for vaginitis is as follows:

Thorough washing of the genitals;
- Ensure that the baby does not touch her genitals and does not introduce infection there;
- Use of very mild products for genital hygiene in girls;
- Use of antibacterial drugs (local or for internal use) as prescribed by a doctor.

Pay attention to the nature of the smell. If it has a pronounced smell of yeast, then it is likely that your baby has vaginal candidiasis or the well-known thrush. It is important that girls under two years of age are especially susceptible to this disease. A characteristic sign of thrush is sufficient white discharge from the vagina, which may be accompanied by itching. It is also important to be careful if you treated your baby for any other infections with antibacterial drugs. They can provoke the appearance of thrush. The disease goes away very quickly and is treated with antifungal drugs for external use, which can only be prescribed by a doctor.

Important! If your daughter gets thrush very often, it may be a sign of type 1 diabetes or problems with the baby's immune system.

A foreign body in the vagina can also cause vaginal odor. It is important to note that in this case the smell will be accompanied by the appearance of brown discharge. This indicates infection. After removing the foreign body from the vagina in a hospital setting, the smell will disappear almost immediately. But if an infection occurs, then it must be cured.

Excess skin

A fairly common feature of newborn girls is a vaginal fold or vaginal polyp. One in ten girls are born with a piece of excess skin sticking out from their vagina. The cause of this defect is the mother’s hormones, which flow to the unborn baby. This phenomenon is not only considered normal, but also absolutely safe. As a rule, these pieces of skin gradually decrease in size and disappear into the vagina after 2-4 weeks, when there are no maternal hormones left in the baby’s blood. If the polyps do not bleed or become injured while washing the girl, then there is absolutely no need for treatment.

Be attentive to the health of your children and diagnose disorders in a timely manner!

Somehow it just so happened that when it comes to the hygiene of boys, mothers have many questions. But with the girls, everything seems to be clear and understandable. However, everything is not so simple. We are talking about procedures that are aimed not only at maintaining cleanliness, but also at preserving reproductive health, first and foremost.

Features of intimate care for a newborn girl

After a mother and child return home from the maternity hospital, the issue of hygiene for a newborn girl falls entirely on her shoulders. Caring for a girl is indeed a responsible matter, it must be safe and well organized.

In the early postnatal period, girls' genitals and buttocks are in almost constant contact with urine and feces, which makes it difficult to keep these parts of the body dry and clean. Delicate skin reacts with redness, irritation, and rashes. And if the baby’s skin is hypersensitive, then this aggravates the problem.

Also, mommy should know that newborn girls do not yet have the protective barrier that an adult woman has, and due to the characteristically specific structure of the female genital organs, it is very easy to get infections and various diseases. In the future, this may negatively affect menstrual cycles, the course of pregnancies, and also reduce the possibility of pregnancy, etc.

Intimate hygiene is very important for a girl, as her future reproductive health depends on it

First days

Immediately after the birth of a girl, white, grayish-white or beige discharge is visible on her labia. Doctors call it “smegma” - vernix lubrication, the result of the work of the sebaceous glands of the external genitalia. This is completely normal.

If there is only a small amount of smegma, then there is no need to remove it; it will disappear on its own. It is recommended to wash off the plaque only if there is too much secretion. In the fats contained in it, microorganisms will begin to multiply within a few days, which can lead to inflammation.

Smegma is a rather dense substance, so it must be removed delicately and carefully. Take a cotton swab, dip it in warm (not hot!) boiled water and begin to remove the secretion. This will have to be done in several stages, since the plaque will come off gradually. In a couple of days there will be no trace of him left.

Also, in the first days, girls may experience spotting. And in this case there is no need to be afraid. In this way, mother's hormones are removed from the newborn's body. This phenomenon is called neonatal hormonal crisis. Everything will pass in a few days.

Important: Newborn babies should not have any other discharge other than those described above. If you notice purulent discharge with an unpleasant odor and redness of the labia, consult a doctor immediately!

Diapers

Many questions related to the hygiene of girls concern the use of diapers. On mommy forums there are often opinions about the harmfulness of diapers. Is it so?

As you know, liquid feces getting into the vagina is the main problem of girl hygiene. This often provokes infectious processes and inflammation. With the advent of diapers, the scale of the problem decreased. This is evidenced by the statistics of doctors and many years of experience in using diapers.

Modern diapers perfectly absorb moisture, have antibacterial properties, including moisturizing the skin, etc.

If you constantly use diapers, then you should wash your baby in the following mode:

• after the toilet “in a big way”;
• while bathing before bed.

The only important condition regarding diapers is their regular change, at least once every two to three hours.

Don’t be afraid to use diapers: they are absolutely not harmful to babies; on the contrary, they reduce the risk of liquid feces getting into the vagina, which means they reduce the likelihood of getting inflammation

How often should a girl be washed?

Many mothers “boast” that they wash their babies after every urination or even after every diaper change. However, such zeal on their part will not only not bring any benefit, but can even harm their health. Beneficial bacteria live on the mucous membranes. They are very small, and so far provide weak, but still protection for the newborn. (By the way, some of these bacteria will stay with women forever). If you constantly wash them off, you will deprive the girl of this important protection, increasing the risk of infections and inflammatory diseases.

However, the only thing worse than frequent washing is washing with soap.

Using Soap

Everyone knows that when we wash our face with soap, we try in every possible way to avoid getting it in the eyes or on the mucous membrane of the eyelids. We clearly understand that getting soap on the skin is normal, but not on mucous membranes. When you wash a girl with soap, the rule remains exactly the same: soap should not get on the mucous membranes. Everything that is deeper than the labia majora is the mucous membranes. Therefore, soap is used only for superficial treatment of the labia majora, and not deeper. If this rule is not followed, problems will arise.

It’s a paradox, but when a mother pays special attention to washing her daughter, when the girl is regularly washed with soap, then many more problems arise, and they arise much more often than when she is not paid such close attention.

It is recommended to wash girls until they are six months or a year old without any detergents at all. However, you can use soap, you just need to use it directly on the outer surface of the labia

Fusion of the labia

Another topic that is discussed so often on mom forums. There is a strong opinion floating around the Internet that this problem appears due to insufficient hygiene, due to the use of wet wipes, frequent or, conversely, infrequent washing, as well as the use of “wrong” care products, etc. So is this true or myths?

In the scientific world, the fusion or sticking together of the labia minora is called “synechia” (synechia is an anat. “commissure”).

What causes this problem?

In newborn girls, the condition of the mucous membranes of the genital organs depends on the amount of sex hormones (estrogens) in the blood, which they still have very little of. A low amount of estrogen in the blood is one of the main causes of sticking of the labia minora.

It is also believed that this problem can be caused by microtraumas of the delicate and thin vulva resulting from its mechanical damage during too vigorous washing. Microtraumas begin to heal, and the labia minora begin to grow together. Delicate washing will reduce the risk of such microtraumas.

Synechia or fusion of the labia minora is not a disease, but a physiological feature of girls six months and older, which occurs against the background of a lack of sex hormones estrogen

At what age does it start?

Remember: Synechia never occurs in girls under 6 months. Because they have their mother’s estrogens, which they received during pregnancy and childbirth. Then the problem arises, and, as a rule, its peak occurs between the ages of 1 and 3 years.

Interesting: according to medical textbooks, this phenomenon is observed in only 1.5-3% of girls. But in fact, in some clinics in our country the number of girls with synechiae reaches 30 and even 50%. That is, if you look very closely, synechiae can be found in almost any girl under 2 years of age.

It should be noted that synechiae is not a disease. This is a physiological feature of children of this age. No wet wipes or “harmful” care products affect its appearance.

When should you treat?

Very rarely, synechiae are of such severity that the labia minora completely grow together, which leads to difficulty in the outflow of urine. When this happens, urine accumulates in the vagina, leading to inflammation. This is what needs to be treated.

Main: if nothing bothers the child, there are no problems with urination, there is no itching, redness or discharge, nothing needs to be done. This is not a problem and no one is to blame. Don't be afraid that something will overgrow there. As soon as the baby begins to produce estrogens, with a probability of 80-90% everything will completely disappear. And in 20%, treatment for 2 weeks with a special ointment may be necessary.

Important: even when synechiae are discovered, no one separates them with any instruments or fingers (especially without pain relief)! They are first treated with ointments containing estrogen, and only if the ointments are ineffective is mechanical separation resorted to.

Washing a girl: algorithm of actions

Intimate hygiene of a newborn girl is very important. You must remember this. Your daughter is also a future mother, and her reproductive health depends on your adequate actions and the right approach to the issue.

Washing girls is an important procedure. The intimate health of babies depends on this elementary action. Washing is done strictly from front to back - from the labia to the butt, so that feces do not get into the vagina

How to wash a girl:

1. Wash your hands before washing.
2. Turn on a stream of running water, not very strong. Check that it is neither cold nor hot.
3. The child's head should lie on the elbow, the body should lie on the forearm, fix one leg with your hand.
4. You should wash in the direction from the labia to the butt - from front to back, and in no case vice versa. You also need to rinse the inguinal folds and between the labia (shallow).
5. We wash without soap, but after defecation, you can use an intimate hygiene product intended for children under one year of age (with a neutral pH) to wash.
6. Next, you need to treat the genitals with sterile oil - olive or peach. Peach juice can be bought ready-made at the pharmacy, and olive oil can be sterilized in a water bath.
7. Leave 10-15 minutes for your baby to take an air bath. Don't wear a diaper, let your skin rest.

Adviсe:

• Use a minimum of cosmetic products in your care, as all this can lead to itching, redness, and allergic reactions.
• Wet wipes are a great modern invention, but they should also be used sparingly.

So, the hygiene of girls is an important and responsible issue. Specific knowledge from specialists will not hurt here, but you should not be guided by myths and advice from ignorant people. “Trial and error” methods will not work either - your baby still has to go through the process of “maturing” as a woman and becoming a mother. It is not difficult to remember and follow the hygiene rules described above. Let your little ones grow up happy and healthy!

Mothers of little girls should always be prepared. Intimate problems always await them. And here it’s often not even a matter of hygiene, but hormones and much more. For example, there is such a disease as synechiae labiorum minorum or synechiae. The problem of babies under 6 or even 8 years old. Let's discuss it in more detail in order to know what and how to do in the event of such a diagnosis.

What is synechiae in girls

So, synechiae in the photo above is a problem with the labia in young girls. We are talking about their merging or sticking together. The labia minora or labia majora may be affected together. This blocks the entrance to the vagina and complicates the flow of urine. Previously, it was believed that synechiae in girls whose photos are shown was a consequence of intrauterine infections or STDs in the mother.

Many said that this was a congenital pathology. But actually it is not.

After all, synechiae disappear that were not even treated at all. The splice zone, which is formed in the form of a film, diverges by itself. This is especially true for sticking together of the labia minora. If the labia minora and majora are fused symmetrically, then the doctor prescribes special remedies and the problem goes away on its own.

Symptoms of synechiae in girls

Discomfort, pain, burning - symptoms of synechiae in girls

If you see what synechia looks like, you cannot confuse them. In fact, the direct symptom is the labia minora or labia majora and minora that are not separated. There may also be an additional problem with urine outflow. Then discomfort appears, pain in the lower abdomen, frequent urge to go to the toilet. If an allergic reaction occurs, there may be severe burning and itching.

On examination there is redness and irritation of the mucous membrane. The child becomes restless and complains of discomfort when walking.

If the mother does not know what synechiae looks like in girls, then it is better to visit a pediatric gynecologist once again. He will explain what to pay attention to and what safety measures to take in order to exclude injuries and any infections that, in addition to synechiae, are fraught with other complications.

Causes of synechiae in girls

Diapers can also cause synechiae

Photo of what synechia looks like in girls can be seen in the photo. Their reasons are still unclear. Experts have proven the relationship between estrogen and such fusion. At least the dynamics are clearly visible in girls who are breastfed and receive maternal hormones. Plus, during puberty, synechiae go away as soon as the estrogen level reaches age norms.

Many argue that at the age of one month, synechia in girls indicates a lack of hormones in the mother, also during pregnancy.

Also, general hygiene entails synechia of the labia if you often use soap or foam, which dries and provokes vulvovaginitis. Although, the guardians of cleanliness can harm the baby even without it by improperly washing the girl and thus introducing an infection. After all, the third cause of synechiae in terms of frequency of occurrence is various diseases of the urinary system or infection of the genital organs with chlamydia, etc.

I'm not advocating that you stop swimming. They just have to be regular and faithful.

Among other things, synechiae can be a consequence of allergies. Redness and cracks in the mucous membrane heal quickly, but at the same time the labia minora grow together or grow into the labia majora.

Diagnosis of synechiae in girls

During a general examination, synechiae may be noticed in girls.

The diagnosis of synechia is quite simple. But strangely enough, parents themselves rarely understand that something is wrong with their girl. Only an examination by a pediatric gynecologist sheds light on the situation. The doctor immediately notices the problem.

If there is a suspicion about the infectious nature of the disease, then an additional bacterial culture of the smear is prescribed in order to clarify the causative agent and a general urine test.

Treatment of synechiae in girls

Treatment for synechia may not involve anything other than watchful waiting.

Synechia in girls requires treatment based on the root cause and situation. Usually, if we are talking about a small area of ​​fusion of the labia minora without difficulty urinating, you need:

- massage and regular spreading of the labia majora

- application of estrogen products along the splice line. Usually, these are Ovestin, colpotrophin and its analogues. The procedure is repeated for several days. The cream is applied in half with the baby product, reducing the ratio. A follow-up examination by a doctor is needed in a week.

If there is an infection of the genitourinary system, then antibiotics are necessarily recommended according to the antibiogram, as well as:

— prebiotics to maintain intestinal microflora

- drugs against the growth of fungi such as candida

Allergies and synechiae are quite a serious topic too. It is important to identify the provocateur of the disease.

It may well be a matter of laundry detergents, laundry composition, or even diapers. After the allergy goes away, you should also use estrogen creams and try to prevent a relapse.

If the fusion causes pain, there is a problem with urine output and discomfort, then doctors recommend removing the synechiae and dividing the labia and this is done under local anesthesia. But this is not a panacea. After the intervention, you should strictly monitor the baby’s general hygiene, lubricate the labia with rich baby cream and try to let the skin breathe. The less time a girl is in a diaper, the lower the likelihood of recurrence of synechiae. Instead, it would be nice to wear cotton panties, which are convenient to change according to need.

Synechia of the labia minora in girls does not threaten anything in the future and will not in any way affect the ability to have sex and give birth to children, provided that bacterial infection is excluded. Usually, the problem resolves itself during puberty. The level of estrogen increases and synechia disappears.

Folk remedies for synechiae in girls

Infusion of chamomile and calendula will relieve replenishment of synechiae

If there is synechia of the labia and it is unpleasant for the baby to go to the toilet, then you can offer her to take warm sitz baths. To do this, brew chamomile, calendula, acacia flower and sit the child in the decoction for 10 minutes. This relaxes the muscles well and additionally relieves swelling.

Many herbalists recommend washing the girl from front to back with the same decoctions. You can add nettle and St. John's wort. After manipulation, the synechiae are lubricated with sea buckthorn oil along the entire length using a cotton swab. But there is no need to be overzealous. Increased hygiene procedures also entail injuries to the mucous membrane of the genital organs. Then synechiae of the labia minora may reappear. After all, during the healing process, tissues stick together.

In severe cases, the use of phytoestrogens is permissible.

These are herbs with hormonal effects. Usually, hogweed, raspberry leaves, and red brush are suitable. They are brewed and the splice area is wiped with light movements.

In general, synechiae is common in female children. There is no need to be afraid of the problem. It is important to understand its possible provocateurs and consult a doctor. A pediatric gynecologist will assess the degree of tissue fusion and give the necessary recommendations. Even if surgery is required, it is performed without general anesthesia and then no additional rehabilitation measures are needed.

As you know, with the onset of sexual activity, a woman’s reproductive system undergoes some changes. First of all, this concerns the vagina, which changes somewhat. Let's take a closer look at this organ of the reproductive system and, in particular, focus on the characteristics of a virgin.

Thus, in newborn girls who have just been born, the length of this organ is only 3 cm. Moreover, the entrance to the vagina itself is located very deep and has an almost vertical direction. In appearance it kind of resembles a funnel.

The walls of the vagina are in close contact with each other. All this is due to the fact that the pelvic muscular system is still very weak. By about 1 year of age, the length of the vagina increases by about 1 cm.

Only by the age of 8 can one detect the so-called folding in this organ, which is characteristic of any female vagina. It is thanks to it that the size of the organ changes during labor, as well as during sexual intercourse in women.

The greatest increase in the size of the vagina in a virgin begins at about 10 years old, and by the age of 12-13 it reaches 7-8 cm.

If we talk about what a virgin’s vagina looks like, then its structure has, perhaps, the only feature - the hymen. It is this mucous septum that protects the internal genital organs from the external ones and prevents the penetration of pathogenic microorganisms into them. During the first sexual intercourse, this formation occurs, which is often accompanied by a small amount of blood.

If we talk about what the entrance to the vagina looks like in a virgin, then, as a rule, it is smaller in size than in women who are sexually active.

In general, the vagina of a virgin and an already experienced woman is not very different. Its size is larger, but the length increases slightly even after the birth of the child. Due to the presence of a large number of glands, women secrete a larger volume of mucous lubricant, which is necessary for hydration.

Thus, we can conclude that the main changes in such a reproductive organ as the vagina occur in the direction of ensuring the reproductive function of the female body. This is accomplished due to an increase in its size, first of all, and also due to the work of the hormonal system, under the influence of which changes occur in this organ.