At some time during their lives, most women will experience an irritating condition such as yeast infection. Vaginal infections are not uncommon in women, and yeast infections are especially prevalent.  It seems that pregnancy and yeast infections are a fact of life for many women, you will be more susceptible to yeast infections and at the same time, there may be less you can do to prevent them.

When it comes to yeast infections, also known as monilial vaginitis and vaginal candidiasis, the fungus Candida is the main reason for the spreading of the disease. Women that suffer from vaginal yeast infections will find that the fungus called Candida albicans is the cause. This fungus occurs naturally in a woman’s body so a positive test result for Candida alone is not necessarily a cause for concern.

In terms of pregnancy, the hormones that support the changes in the body also encourage yeast infections. Not surprisingly, the body stores more glucose when a woman is pregnant to support the growing baby. But that means that yeast gets fed, too. Glycogen is how the body stores glucose.  The glycogen feeds yeast, making you more likely to have a yeast infection. It might even make the yeast speed up growth and it could even make them adhere more closely to vaginal walls.

Use of antibiotics can cause fungi to proliferate. Long-term use of antibiotics kills bacteria, both good and bad and can weaken the body’s natural ability to fight infection. This allows the bad bacteria to grow uncontrollably because the good bacteria have been reduced in number and is unable to fight the bad bacteria. This is when an infection may occur.

Early signs of infection include itchiness, irritation, soreness, burning, and redness of and around the vagina.  Cheese-like liquid discharges might be a symptom of the infection’s further development. As this could bring along some pain and is transmittable to others, it is advisable to abstain from sex while suffering from a yeast infection.

A positive thing in treating yeast infections with a pregnant woman is that many of the same treatments used in non pregnant women are available for pregnant woman. The best thing would be to consult with your doctor to be sure you obtain the best yeast infection medication for your condition and know of any side effects. It may be that an over-the-counter cream may be recommended by your doctor. Or, the doctor might have a special treatment program designed for pregnant women.

The good news is that a yeast infection in the mother will not have any affect on the developing fetus. It is believed that as much as 15% of all pregnant women end up suffering from a some yeast infection complaint during pregnancy. Indeed it may be difficult to avoid a yeast infection during pregnancy given the changes in the hormone levels. With this said, yeast infection during pregnancy doesn’t need to be worrying or miserable as it is fairly easy to treat quickly and successfully.