Treatment FAQ

thrush when pregnant treatment

by Robb Trantow Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
image

During pregnancy, thrush can be treated with a cream to use externally or a tablet which is inserted into the vagina. This thrush treatment tablet is called a pessary and contains clotrimazole, which is an antifungal drug. 15 If you are pregnant, breast-feeding or trying for a baby then you should steer clear of anti-thrush oral tablets. 16

Treating thrush during pregnancy
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.

Full Answer

How to treat thrush naturally during pregnancy?

  • Rinse your mouth after meals and each time you use a corticosteroid inhaler.
  • Keep your dentures clean, and remove them every night.
  • Treat dry mouth.
  • If you have diabetes, work with your doctor to manage your blood sugar.
  • If you’re pregnant, treat vaginal yeast infections promptly.
  • If you smoke, consider quitting. ...

Can thrush harm my baby during pregnancy?

No, there is no evidence that having thrush when you’re pregnant can harm the baby. You can relax knowing that your baby is safe, even if you get a thrush infection during your pregnancy. What if I have thrush while I’m giving birth? If you’re having vaginal thrush as you’re giving birth, it’s possible to pass thrush on to your baby.

What happens when you get thrush in pregnancy?

Symptoms of Oral Thrush During Pregnancy Include:

  • Creamy white lesions on your tongue, inner cheeks, and sometimes on the roof of your mouth, gums, and tonsils
  • Slightly raised lesions with a cottage cheese-like appearance
  • Redness or soreness that may be severe enough to cause difficulty eating or swallowing
  • Slight bleeding if the lesions are rubbed or scraped

More items...

Is it dangerous to get pregnant for thrush?

There is no evidence that thrush affects your chances of getting pregnant. And, if you have thrush while you are pregnant, it won’t harm your unborn baby. However, if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding and you have thrush, you should avoid taking oral anti-thrush treatments.

image

Can I use canesten if pregnant?

Canesten thrush cream is safe if you're pregnant, but oral thrush pills are not. Pessaries are also safe but be aware you'll need to insert them carefully.

Can thrush harm baby when pregnant?

Thrush will not prevent you from getting pregnant. Thrush is not known to harm your unborn baby. In only around 2% of cases is thrush passed on to a baby during delivery.

Does thrush go away on its own during pregnancy?

Once you have developed thrush, it can disappear naturally or there are treatments available which target the yeast growth and ease the symptoms. Developing thrush during pregnancy will not harm your unborn baby. However, if you have thrush during the birth, it can be passed to your baby.

Can you get over the counter thrush treatment when pregnant?

Over-the-counter medications for treating yeast infections — available as creams, ointments or suppositories — include: Clotrimazole (Mycelex, Lotrimin AF) Miconazole (Monistat 3) Terconazole.

How do you get rid of an itchy private area during pregnancy?

How Do You Treat Vaginal Itching?Taking baking soda baths.Making a paste of baking soda and water and applying the paste to the area that itches.Applying topical coconut oil to the area.Wearing cotton underwear and changing your underwear when you become sweaty.Using a cold compress to help relieve itchiness9.

What does thrush feel like in pregnancy?

Most women experience occasional bouts of a common yeast infection known as vaginal thrush. It causes itching, irritation and swelling of the vagina and surrounding area, sometimes with a creamy white cottage cheese-like discharge.

What happens if thrush is left untreated in pregnancy?

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.

Can folic acid cause thrush?

The presence of an iron, vitamin B12, or folate deficiency can also make people prone to thrush. This is because these essential elements are important for the proper functioning of our immune system to stop candida from overgrowing.

Can I use Sudocrem for thrush?

It is often mistaken for thrush or urine infections. It occurs because the area is vulnerable to irritation and may be made worse by soaps, bubble baths, dampness and not wiping front to back after using the toilet. Protection of the area with a barrier cream (bepanthen, sudocrem) is often the best treatment.

What does vaginal thrush look like?

What does thrush look like? If you have vaginal thrush, the skin outside your vagina may be red, cracked or damaged. You may see a thick, white vaginal discharge (it may look like cottage cheese). For more information, see 'symptoms of vaginal thrush'.

Why is my private area itchy while pregnant?

During pregnancy, the vagina becomes engorged with blood, and your skin may feel stretched and more sensitive than usual. Products that you used comfortably before conceiving may now irritate your skin, causing it to itch and redden.

What to do if you have thrush while pregnant?

If you have thrush and are pregnant you should speak to your GP, midwife or neighbourhood Pharmacist before using any treatments . They will be able to diagnose the infection and suggest suitable treatments for you, whether this is a cream or pessary (a tablet inserted into the vagina).

Why do I get thrush?

Your body is going through a huge amount of changes that can disrupt your body’s natural harmony and this can make you more susceptible to thrush. This unbalancing of bacteria and microorganisms can lead to yeast infections, as the Candida albicans that live in your body multiple uncontrollably.

Can a baby get thrush in the womb?

Your baby is safely sealed inside you womb (uterus) and will not into come into contact with the yeast infection. If you have thrush when the baby is born they can catch the infection during labour, however this is very straight forward to treat and nothing to worry about.

Is Clotrimazole safe for pregnant women?

The anti-fungal drug, clotrimazole is considered safe to use when you need to treat thrush in pregnancy. It comes in the form of a cream that can be applied to the affected skin around your vagina or as a pessary that is inserted into your vagina.

How to treat thrush while pregnant?

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.

What is thrush in vagina?

Thrush is a yeast infection caused by the Candida species of fungus, usually Candida albicans. It usually lives harmlessly in the vagina and does not cause any symptoms, because its growth is kept under control by normal bacteria.

Can you take anti thrush pills while pregnant?

But, if you're pregnant, trying to get pregnant or breastfeeding, you should not take anti-thrush tablets. Read more information about how thrush is treated. If you have thrush when your baby is born, the baby may catch it during the delivery. This is nothing to worry about and can easily be treated.

Can thrush harm an unborn baby?

But there's no evidence that thrush can harm an unborn baby.

Why do pregnant women get thrush?

During pregnancy, the vagina becomes rich in a form of glucose named ‘glycogen’, which feeds the growth of candida albicans. It’s believed the higher levels of glycogen occurs due to increased oestrogen levels and reduced acidity in the vagina. This is why pregnant women are much more likely to get vaginal thrush than normal.

How to prevent thrush?

Thrush can be kept under control or prevented by a change in diet and lifestyle. Obviously, the more you change, the better and quicker results you will get. Once you fix up what’s going into your body, good quality, regular probiotics are essential to keep on top of it.

Why is my vaginal discharge thick?

You may have already noticed a thin, milky discharge which is a result of your body’s hormones doing their job. If the discharge becomes thick, white and creamy — like cottage cheese — and if you have itching in your vaginal area, you may have thrush.

What causes thrush in the body?

Pesticides. Fertilisers. However a major cause of thrush is an unhealthy diet and lifestyle. A diet high in sugars, artificial sweetener, caffeine and grains can cause havoc with the good bacteria in your body, allowing bad bacteria to thrive.

How many women have candida?

Nearly one out of three women have candida albicans present in their vagina. This becomes a problem when the number of bad bacteria outgrow the good bacteria. It’s a battle of bacteria, and the side with the most soldiers wins.

Where does thrush come from?

Normally, this organism is found in the intestinal tract of men and women. It’s where all cases of thrush originate from, no matter where it appears on the body.

Can you get thrush while pregnant?

thrush during pregnancy. Thrush is unfortunately more common when you’re pregnant, leaving many pregnant women wondering how to get rid of it as soon and as safely as possible. If you have thrush during pregnancy, this article will help you to understand how thrush can be safely prevented and treated. You’ll also find out why thrush is more common ...

Who is Natasha from the NHS?

Natasha is senior clinical fellow in Obstetrics & Gynaecology with the Chelsea & Westminster NHS foundation trust. She was previously a clinical research fellow at the University of Oxford and national women’s health lead for the Muslim Doctors Association of the UK. Her special interests include the use of digital healthcare solutions to help vulnerable populations of women, volunteer work with refugees, and chasing that last sliver of sun on her balcony after work.

Is thrush a real problem?

Thrush is a common problem in pregnancy, and concerns about medications being safe to use are very real . Your doctor will never knowingly give you a medication that has not been extensively tested to prove its safety in pregnancy – and that’s important.

Can asymptomatic vaginal thrush cause premature birth?

There is a possible link between the presence of vaginal Candida and premature birth. Researchers are currently investigating whether treating women with asymptomatic vaginal thrush is effective in reducing spontaneous preterm birth. Hopefully, these studies will show if eradicating Candida in pregnancy helps to reduce the rate of preterm birth and late miscarriage. Symptomatic vaginal thrush is not harmful to the developing baby, but the infection is debilitating, and women are advised to use effective treatment during pregnancy. There is also a risk that the Candida organism can be passed to the baby during childbirth.

Is it necessary to treat thrush?

It is not considered necessary to treat sexual partners, as thrush is not a sexually transmitted infection. However, if a woman has recurrent thrush infection, it is advisable that her partner is tested and treated if infection is present.

What is the best treatment for thrush in the vagina?

Antifungal cream. An antifungal cream can be used to treat breastfeeding moms who contract thrush from their infants, as well as women who develop thrush in their vagina. Babies with thrush can pass the condition on to the breastfeeding mother.

How do you know if you have thrush while pregnant?

Symptoms of Oral Thrush During Pregnancy Include: Creamy white lesions on your tongue, inner cheeks, and sometimes on the roof of your mouth, gums, and tonsils. Redness or soreness that may be severe enough to cause difficulty eating or swallowing.

What does it mean when you have thrush?

Cracking and redness at the corners of your mouth (especially in denture wearers) A cottony feeling in your mouth. Loss of taste . Thrush can occur at any age, from babies, to healthy adults, and even to the elderly.

Can you take fluconazole while pregnant?

It is important to note that pregnant women should not take the anti-fungal tablets known as fluconazole, as some studies indicate that it could cause birth defects.

Can thrush cause eating issues?

If you think you have thrush, it is important to consult your doctor immediately, as thrush can spread into the throat, esophagus, and intestines, leading to eating and digestion issues.

Can thrush be in the breast?

However, when the immune system is not functioning at full capacity, the body is unable to keep the levels of fungus in check, and thrush can result. Thrush can occur in the mouth, in the genitals, and on the breasts of mothers who are nursing infants with thrush.

How to cure thrush at home?

In fact, you may want to consider them complementary, rather than primary, treatments. Baking soda. Add about half a teaspoon of baking soda to a cup of boiled, cooled water.

How to treat thrush in mouth?

For oral thrush, your doctor may prescribe antifungal medication (drops or a gel) containing nystatin, which must be spread on the tongue and inside the mouth a few times a day for 10 days. The easiest way to do this is to use a sponge applicator to paint on the solution.

What is the name of the white yeast that grows out of control?

Candida albicanis is a white yeast-like fungus. The yeast Candida can live quite happily anywhere on your body without causing trouble, but sometimes it grows out of control. It’s this Candida overgrowth that’s known as thrush.

Why does oral thrush follow antibiotics?

Researchers aren’t sure why, but it could happen because a newborn has a weaker immune system and can’t yet fight infections well. That would explain why oral thrush often follows a course of antibiotics (just when you thought you were finally going to catch up on the sleep you missed because your baby wasn’t well).

How to prevent candida from traveling to baby?

Here’s a list of general prevention tips to help your baby: Take the time to wash your baby’s hands, toys, and pacifiers.

How to get rid of yeast in baby?

Take the time to wash your baby’s hands, toys, and pacifiers. Launder towels, clothing, and bras that may have come into contact with Candida. The best practice is to use a hot wash cycle. If you’re pumping your milk, keep it refrigerated until just before use to prevent the growth of yeast.

How to get rid of milky tinge on baby's tongue?

Still, if you’re not sure, try this quick and easy test: Wrap a piece of gauze around your finger and try to gently wipe away the marks.

image
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9