Yeast Infections: Fast Facts
Reviewed By:
Joanne Poje Tomasulo, M.D., ACOG
- During a lifetime, 75 percent of all women are likely to have at least one vaginal yeast infection and 45 percent have two or more.
- About 80 percent of vaginal yeast infections are caused by a fungus called Candida albicans.
- Clothes, especially underwear, that are too tight or made of nylon material can lead to yeast infections as they trap heat and moisture.
- Hormonal changes can increase the amount of sugar in vaginal secretions, resulting in yeast infections.
- You are more likely to get a yeast infection if your body is under stress from lack of sleep, poor diet or illness. If you are pregnant or taking antibiotics, you are also at increased risk for infection.
- The most common sign of a yeast infection is thick, white vaginal discharge accompanied by itching or irritation.
- A vaginal yeast infection is not a sexually transmitted disease. You may develop a yeast infection even if you are not sexually active.
- Yeast infections are most commonly treated with an antifungal cream, vaginal suppository or oral medication.
- Proper treatment cures up to 90 percent of vaginal yeast infections in two weeks or less.
- To prevent yeast infections, it is best to keep the external area of your genitals clean and dry. Wearing loose clothing and avoiding the use of irritating soaps or vaginal sprays may reduce the risk of contracting a yeast infection.
- Most yeast infections are self-diagnosed and treated with over-the-counter medications. The condition can be diagnosed by a physician with a simple analysis of vaginal secretions.
- Although yeast infections are not a serious condition, left untreated they can be very uncomfortable and may persist.
- It is rare to transmit a yeast infection to your sexual partner. Your partner does not automatically have to be treated for the condition if you have it.
- Pregnant women or women who are breastfeeding should consult a physician before using medications to treat a yeast infection. Some common medications are not safe to use during pregnancy or breastfeeding.
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