Yeast Infection While Pregnant
Developing a yeast infection while pregnant can be quite common in most expectant mothers because of changes in your hormonal levels. Because pregnant women have elevated levels of estrogen while they are pregnant, this will make you much more susceptible to yeast infections. Because of the aforementioned hormonal changes, this can lead to excessive growth of fungus and in most cases once the yeast infection has developed it is not hard to miss the signs.
In some cases women who become pregnant may develop a yeast infection for the very first time and as such have no idea what this type of infection may feel like and what the signs of having one actually are.
Pregnancy Yeast Infection And Treatments
Once you develop a yeast infection you’ll most likely notice some if not all of the following conditions:
- a burning sensation when you urinate
- severe itching
- a white vaginal discharge that has the same texture as cottage cheese
Keep in mind that having some of these symptoms does not always mean that you in fact do have a yeast infection. It is important that you see a doctor to have the proper diagnosis and related treatment.
In most cases your doctor will probably prescribe an antifungal cream such as Monistat to help clear up the condition. In a majority of pregnant women, a yeast infection can be cleared up in less than a week.
Please be aware that if you have had a yeast infection in the past that you do not use any of the leftover creams you may have until you speak with your doctor first. This cannot be stressed enough!
How To Prevent A Yeast Infection
While there is no one fool-proof way of preventing a yeast infection, there are several things you can do to help lower your risks for this type of infection and these include:
- avoid wearing clothing that is tight around your crotch
- change out of wet bathing suits and gym gear as soon as possible and dry your genitalia as thoroughly as possible
- try to wear natural cotton panties
- refrain from wearing your panties to bed at night, to allow your genitalia to be exposed to the air
It is important to keep in mind that if you are diagnosed with a yeast infection not to stress out about it. They really are quite common and in most cases are not harmful to your baby. Best of all they can be treated quite easily.
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