Vaginal yeast infection during pregnancy

Vaginal yeast infections are a common problem during pregnancy, likely caused by high estrogen levels. While they don't endanger a pregnancy, they can cause unbearable symptoms.

If you are pregnant and have vaginal infection symptoms, don't assume that your symptoms are caused by a harmless yeast infection. Instead, see your health professional to make sure that you don't have some other type of condition that could endanger your pregnancy. Should you have bacterial vaginosis or a sexually transmitted disease (STD), such as gonorrhea or chlamydia, you will need treatment to prevent pregnancy complications.

If you are pregnant, do not use nonprescription yeast infection medication without first discussing your symptoms with your health professional. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that during pregnancy:¹

• Only vaginal medications, such as creams or vaginal suppositories, should be used for yeast infection treatment. Oral medications are not recommended for use during pregnancy.
• Only azole medications should be used. Nonprescription azole medications include clotrimazole (such as Gyne-Lotrimin), miconazole (such as Monistat), terconazole (such as Terazol), and butoconazole (Femstat).
• Treatment should be used for 7 days (it can take longer to cure a yeast infection during pregnancy than usual).

In the past, nystatin (such as Mycostatin) was the drug of choice for the first trimester of pregnancy, but now all vaginal medications are considered safe during pregnancy.

Citations

1. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2002). Sexually Transmitted Diseases Treatment Guidelines 2002 (CDC Publication Vol. 51, No. RR-6), pp. 45–48. Atlanta: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.