During pregnancy women often get thrush because of the changes going on in the body, especially during the third trimester. But there's no evidence that thrush can harm an unborn baby.
Q: Can a yeast infection harm my pregnancy? A: No. A yeast infection won't affect your developing baby – that's why we don't treat yeast infections that don't have symptoms. However, most symptomatic yeast infections get worse when left untreated.
Vaginal thrush is pretty unpleasant & uncomfortable, if left untreated you'll continue to experience itching, burning & general discomfort and pain in the vagina and surrounding areas. Not clearing the infection properly (or at all) can cause vaginal thrush to flare up frequently, making it more difficult to treat.
If both you and your baby have the infection, you both need to be treated at the same time. Otherwise, you can pass the infection back and forth.
When the fungus grows out of control in your baby's mouth, it can develop into oral thrush, which can cause sore patches in or around your little one's mouth. These may be uncomfortable or painful, especially when feeding.
With treatment, thrush usually clears up in 4 to 5 days. Without treatment, it clears up in 2-8 weeks.
Getting thrush 4 or more times in a year is called recurrent thrush. If this happens, get medical advice and don't treat it yourself. If you get recurrent thrush the doctor or nurse will want to check that other conditions, such as diabetes, aren't the cause of the thrush.
If your vaginal thrush symptoms get worse or an over-the-counter treatment doesn't help, contact your GP surgery, or go to your local sexual health clinic. Thrush isn't a sexually transmitted infection, but does share some similar symptoms with other infections so it's a good idea to rule these out.
The symptoms will usually clear up within a week or two. However, for some women, vaginal thrush can be difficult to treat and keeps coming back.
1 While it's rarely dangerous—and not always painful—thrush can lead to life-threatening infections in other parts of the body if it is left untreated. Therefore, it's crucial to seek immediate treatment if you notice signs or symptoms of thrush in yourself or your child.
Yeast infections are especially common during pregnancy because hormone changes can disrupt the pH balance of the vagina. Common yeast infection symptoms include vaginal itching and a white, thick discharge that looks like cottage cheese.
Oral thrush, a fungal infection in the mouth, sometimes won't go away without medication. But that's not always so. Oral thrush home remedies such as rinsing with salt water or apple cider vinegar, consuming probiotics, and even just practicing good oral hygiene may be sufficient.
Thrush during pregnancy can be treated with cream or a tablet inserted in the vagina (a pessary) that contains clotrimazole or a similar antifungal drug. Normally, thrush can also be treated with antifungal tablets called fluconazole.
Some medications that can effectively treat common infections may be less safe during pregnancy. So it is essential that pregnant people who have an infection talk to their doctor or midwife to weigh up the benefits and risks of various treatment options.
Can a yeast infection affect my ability to get pregnant? Having a yeast infection does not affect your fertility, but having sex may be uncomfortable for a few days.
you have unusual symptoms, such as coloured or smelly discharge, or sores on the skin around your vagina. you have abnormal vaginal bleeding or pain in your lower tummy. you've had two episodes of thrush within the last six months. you've reacted badly to antifungal treatment in the past, or it didn't work.
Symptoms can get worse just before your period. Tight clothing can also make symptoms worse as they trap moisture, creating the perfect environment for the infection.
Water is one of the most powerful remedies to combat a yeast infection. Though there are several cures for combating yeast infection, water remains the best remedy. Yeast feeds on the sugar present in your body and leads to infections.
Oral thrush occurs when a yeast infection is present inside the mouth, and is a common cause of fussy infants.
Some Signs of Thrush for Babies
Baby is fussy, gassy and cranky.
What are the symptoms? Oral thrush appears as milky, white patches on the insides of a child's cheeks, tongue or lips and cannot be wiped away easily, as the infection is under the skin. The patches might also appear red or inflamed.