Yeast infection During Pregnancy
What Triggers Yeast Infection During Pregnancy?
For the majority of women, it is during their pregnancy that they get their very first yeast infection.
A yeast infection during pregnancy is very common and unfortunately towards the later stages of the pregnancy the yeast infection symptoms tend to get worse.
The yeast infection is mainly caused by the change in the body’s estrogen levels during a pregnancy, and this sharp increase causes the body to produce larger amounts of yeast in the vagina that have high glycogen (sugar) content. This rapid increase in the amount of sugar makes it impossible for the vaginal acids to break this sugar down. This alteration leaves the vagina extremely vulnerable to a number of infections, amongst them a yeast infection
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Pregnancy causes a variety of candida (yeast) promoting changes in your body including:
- A glycogen (sugar) increase in the vagina,
- An increased alkaline vaginal pH,
- Changes in your hormonal levels causing an imbalance
Once women give birth – the yeast infection will ease off and its symptoms will reduce once the hormone levels return to normal. For many they will remain symptomless unless the infection is trigged by other factors. Yeast Infections do not go away on their own and unfortunately many women will get frequent yeast infections during future pregnancies or when common triggers are introduced such as: contraceptive pills, antibiotics, low levels of lactobacilli etc.
Because yeast infections do not go away on their own or when they’re not properly treated, a yeast infection during pregnancy can be passed onto the newborn during labour. The newborn willexperience oral thrush which can cause pain and discomfort.
Treating Yeast Infection During Pregnancy
Instead of suffering with yeast infection during pregnancy and to minimize the risk of passing it onto your newborn it is advised to treat the infection as soon as symptoms surface. These symptoms include:
- Persistent vaginal itching ,
- Thick Vaginal Discharge which is white or yellow ( looks like cottage cheese) and has a slight smell of yeast,
- Redness of the vulva and vagina,
- Burning sensation during urination,
- Pain during sexual intercourse.
A natural based treatment (drug-free) is the safest especially when you’re pregnant but be sure you also speak to your doctor first before you use any treatment.
