Pregnancy and yeast infection

Almost all women at some point of their lives will experience some problems with their bodies, specifically in their private areas. Vaginal infection is a pretty common occurrence among women most especially yeast infection. Furthermore pregnancy and yeast infection seems to be always in tandem. More pregnant women get infected by yeast due to several reasons, some of which may be too hard for you to control.

Yeast infection is also referred to as monilial vaginitis or vaginal candidiasis. The fungi Candida seems to be the main culprit in spreading out the disease. More specifically, the fungus Candida albicans causes for most part the infection in women’s vagina area. However, do be aware that Candida is already present in a woman’s body. The fungus occurs naturally and should not be a cause for alarm.

The food you eat, your personal hygiene and the even the lifestyle you live all can affect the growth of the fungus in  your vagina area. If you eat too much sugar and carbohydrates, the fungus has a lot better chance of surviving and growing eventually causing the full development of  the yeast infection. High sugar levels in the blood and body feeds the Candida fungus more.

For pregnant women, the usual cause of infection would be the changing estrogen levels during pregnancy. As the estrogen level goes high during the months of being pregnant, the body also produces high levels of glycogen. Now glycogen will make the area more susceptible to yeast growth. This according to some experts an a few studies. According to them, glycogen might cause the yeast t grow faster and even allow the fungus to stick on the walls of the vagina.

Taking antibiotics will also help the growth of the fungus. If you have been taking antibiotic pills for a long time, the harmful bacteria will be killed but it may also affect the beneficial bacteria that grows in the vagina area causing the fungus to overpower the helpful microorganisms. Once the fungus has taken over the area, the body will tend to react too it resulting to an infection.

Among the signs that you should look out for includes itchiness, irritation, burning sensation, soreness and redness of the vagina and surrounding area. These at least are the early symptoms of the infection. Once it progresses, you might observe the discharge of an odorless, white, creamy chess-like liquid. Also, I do not know how often you do it especially now that you’re pregnant, but be wary with the sex. The infection might cause some pain during secual intercourse so it would be better to put things off for a while.

The good thing, and I know you mothers are already itching to know, yeast infection does not have any negative effects on the baby inside the womb. The infection will not affect the development of the baby as well.

Another good thing is that treating yeast infection cases in pregnant women is the same with the treatments available to normal cases. However, it would be better to consult your doctor since you don’t know what possible effects yeast infection medicine does to you. There are also over the counter antifungal creams that could be prescribed to you by your doctor. There might be specific product that are intended for yeast infections in pregnant women.

It is said that fifteen percent of all pregnant women will experience yeast infection during their pregnancy. But do not be alarm, that’s bad for the baby so don’t. Pregnancy and yeast infection might be hard to separate. But the thing is yeast infection can be treated.