Yeast Infections During Pregnancy: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

Vaginal Yeast Infection In Pregnancy

Now that you’re pregnant, you must be feeling so excited about the little bundle of joy that’s about to arrive towards the end of the last trimester.

It’s such a sensational journey, yet not without challenges. For a number of pregnant women, all they need to do is just to handle the normal changes in their life and the symptoms of pregnancy are not severe. But to some, they experience a couple of encounters that require immediate medical attention.

Some of the serious symptoms to watch out or during pregnancy are conditions like excessive weight gain, bleeding, and severe swelling of legs, face and fingers, high blood pressure, gestational diabetes and yeast infections during pregnancy among others.

Today, let’s look at yeast infections during pregnancy.

Every woman is unique and so is the pregnancy. Whether this is your first pregnancy or you’ve had subsequent pregnancies before and had no encounter with yeast infections, it can happen this time around. You may also be a pregnant woman suffering from yeast infections and you are wondering what the hell it is all about.

In this article, you’ve got the answers you need to every question about yeast infection. If you’re experiencing a couple of symptoms discussed here and you weren’t sure about what’s really happening, reading through this content will be of great help to you.

What Is Yeast Infection?

Yeast infections are a common form of vaginal infection, especially in pregnant women. These infections – also called Monilial Vaginitis or Vaginal Candidiasis – are caused by fungi of the Candida family, mostly Candida Albicans.

Vaginal fungal infections have been reported at least once by more than 70% of women. They are not life-threatening, but they must be treated because they have very unpleasant symptoms and they will not disappear otherwise. Some women suffer from recurrent vaginal infections that disappear for a short period and then appear again.

What are the causes of a fungal infection?

A bacterium called Candida causes vaginal infections. This is usually found in the human body, especially in the mouth and vagina and does no harm. Sometimes for various reasons, such as pregnancy or long-term treatment with antibiotics, Candida invades and causes a vaginal yeast infection. Indeed, other bacteria generally in the body, causing the spread of Candida, reduced in number and cannot play a role.

Vaginal fungal infections have horrible symptoms. The most common are redness, swelling, vaginal pain, as well as itching and burning. Excessive leaks are also common and are usually white with a creamy consistency. Vaginal discharge should not be felt in vaginal infections.

Other symptoms of vaginal yeast infection are pain during urination or sexual intercourse. Unfortunately, other diseases may have the same symptoms and are being mistaken for a vaginal yeast infection.

Many women decide to buy self-care products to treat this disease, and in half of the cases, they act wrongly because they do not have it. It is easily confused with bacterial vaginitis or a sexually transmitted disease. A doctor will make a reliable diagnosis after a check-up and sometimes laboratory tests.

What are the symptoms of a yeast infection?

If you develop symptoms from a yeast infection, they’re likely to be bothersome (and may get worse) until you treat the disease, though sometimes they do come and go on their own. Symptoms may include:

Itchiness, irritation, soreness, burning, and redness (and sometimes swelling) in your vagina and labia
Odorless vaginal discharge that’s often white, creamy, or cottage cheese
Other discharge which is greenish or yellowish that looks almost similar to cottage cheese producing a smell like that of a bread or yeast
Discomfort or pain during sex
Burning when you urinate (when the urine hits your already irritated genitals)
Increase in discharge

Having experienced some or all these symptoms does not necessarily mean that you’ve got a yeast infection. Surprisingly, you may visit a doctor and after diagnosis, he rules out that you’ve got no yeast infection.

Then, what could it be? Point to ponder!

The signs listed above may also be indicators that a woman is suffering from

Sexually transmitted diseases like gonorrhea, chlamydia or Trichomoniasis
Bacterial Vaginosis

Why You Must See The Doctor

At least by now, you can tell the intense of the matter and reasons why you shouldn’t ignore even the simplest of symptoms listed above. Visit trusted medical professionals for examination.

The doctor will keenly examine the vaginal secretions by using a painless swab to get some discharge for testing. The results will determine the kind of medication to be prescribed.

How Long Does It Take To Get Some Relief?

If you’re suffering from yeast infections during pregnancy, you can tell that the experience is not pleasing at all. After being diagnosed with yeast infection during pregnancy, the doctor will prescribe the recommended vaginal creams for pregnant women.

The chances are that within 10-14 days, you’ll have experienced complete relief from the symptoms.

Can The Infection Be Passed To The Baby?

Unfortunately, it is possible that the yeast infection is transmitted to the baby during pregnancy or shortly after birth – by birth or breastfeeding.

If the woman has not treated her infection at the first opportunity because of her pregnancy, she can also end up with a severe case of fungal infection that is particularly difficult to eradicate once the baby is born.

Is Yeast Infection Treatment Recommended During Pregnancy?

Most conventional antifungal medicines and prescribed antibiotics are not recommended for pregnant women because of possible implications for the baby.

It is therefore much more important for pregnant women to find different treatment methods. All types of yeast infections can be safely treated with holistic techniques that use a natural approach to address both symptoms and underlying causes.

TREATMENT FOR FUNGAL INFECTIONS DURING PREGNANCY

If you have ever had a fungal infection, you may need to contact your doctor. If you already use drugs at home, do not use them. Call your doctor or midwife first, because some medicines are not recommended during pregnancy. Your doctor should tell you which drugs to use during pregnancy. An important note is that shorter treatments do not seem to be as active during pregnancy. That is why you are probably prescribed or recommended a seven-day treatment. Be sure to use the full dose because if you do not follow these instructions, the yeast may reappear.

The most reliable remedy for yeast infections at home is wearing clean, dry, loose cotton clothing that keeps the place dry and helps prevent irritation. Avoid toilet paper, feminine sprays, bubble bath, and sanitary pads that are scented.

If you’re prescribed a treatment cream, you’ll insert it into the vagina every night before bed, enabling you to lie down as long as possible to get the most out of the medication. If you like, you can use a panty liner to help with any discharge or leakage of medication.

Natural Home Remedies to Treat Yeast Infection During Pregnancy

Eating yogurt with live active cultures can help your body fight off a yeast infection. You should also cut back on sugars in your diet, as it can up your chances of developing a yeast infection. Make sure to talk to your doctor before beginning any treatment plan for a yeast infection.

Take Precautions!

Now that you’re pregnant, did you know that yeast infection is more common during pregnancy than at any other time in a woman’s life? I thought you should know. This is most especially during the second trimester. Though the infections may not pose major negative effects on pregnancy, the symptoms can cause significant discomforts on top of the current symptoms of pregnancy.

We don’t want pregnancy to be a real nightmare! You can make it be one of the most exciting journeys of life by taking precaution and discussing any unusual feelings with your doctor. Don’t wait until it is too late. Talk to your doctor now when the symptoms are easy to manage.

Why Are Yeast Infections Extra Common During Pregnancy?

During pregnancy, a woman’s body is going through very drastic changes. Lots of hormonal changes and variations are taking place and the body might find it difficult to adjust with the chemical changes in the vagina.

In her state during pregnancy, the woman’s vaginal secretions produce more sugar in which the yeast can feed on. As a result, is an imbalance that causes the secretion of too much yeast.

Can Yeast Infections Be Prevented?

Most yeast infections during pregnancy can be prevented. Every woman should embrace the essence of wearing loose breathable cotton underwear. It is also important to ensure you thoroughly wash your genital areas with unscented soaps and ensure that the place is kept clean and dry.

After using the washroom, always ensure you wipe from front to back and not vice versa.

A shower immediately after those swimming pool moments is recommended. Avoid staying with dump clothes from the gym or workouts.

Bottom line

Anyone who experiences any unusual symptoms during their pregnancy should talk to their doctor or midwife. Prenatal care is also crucial since it can detect certain infections even before they cause symptoms.