So, I am 32 weeks preggo and quite certain I have a yeast infection. I just finished a course of antibiotics for strep, and I have white clumpy spots in my vag. I was just at the midwives office two days ago, so I don't want to go back just for this. Anyway, they're not open on weekends, and i dont want to do an emergency page I've had yeast infections before, and I'm confident in the diagnosis. For those of you who have dealt with this while pregnant, what's the best OTC to use? I read that the 7 day is best, but monistat or vagisil? any difference? Any recommendations? I've been eating yogurt too, but I really need the cream to go along with it. Thanks for your thoughts!
Well, most of the responses only served to fill me with a horrific sense of dread. I mean, really, scary stories about miscarriages and stillbirths? I'm pregnant, for crying out loud, and I already have a crazy hormone-infused mind that's bouncing off the walls 24 hours a day. I really didn't need that. I was hoping that someone who had had a yeast infection while pregnant would just tell me what they used to get rid of it. I guess I learned my lesson.
For anyone who happens to search this topic and finds my question, here's my update: I did end up paging my midwife on the weekend (since all the responses here scared the sh*t out of me), and she said that yeast infections are very common during pregnancy and they are not a big deal. I described my symptoms and she concurred that it sounds like a yeast infection. There was no need for her to see me to diagnose it, she trusted my ability to assess my body. The baby is protected by the closed cervix, so the yeast aren't going to attack it and medicated creams aren't going to reach it. She said that OTC yeast creams are perfectly safe, and the brand doesn't really matter. She did suggest not doing the one-day treatments as they are very harsh and pregnancy is a time when you don't want something else harsh "down there".
So, I'm on my second day of treatment and doing fine. I chose to go with a 3-day clotrimazole product. The baby's good, I'm good, and I'm no longer hyperventilating by the horror stories and over reactions that were submitted.
I had chronic yeast infections while pregnant and the Dr said NO over the counter medicine. They have a special prescription for you to use while pregnant that it not as strong and takes longer to heal but is safer.
GO BACK!!!! I can't stress this enough. Yeast infection can cause stillbirth and early labor if untreated. Go see your doctor. I have delivered a child born still at 31 weeks. They are pretty sure I had an infection. There are yeast infection medications that are safe while pregnant call and get the right one. I would never wish on anyone what I went through. Get treated ASAP!! Dr. Hilgers is world renown for his work in fertility care. He is on the cutting edge of OBGYN care. I am fortunate enough to now have him as a doctor and he was the one that explained that yeast is very dangerous during a pregnancy.
Whatever you do, do NOT self medicate yourself. When I was pregnant with one of my babies, I called my OB over the weekend, after hours, convinced I had a yeast infection. He reassured me that it was hormones and he suggested I buy some cortizone cream, use it and see if it made a difference. It did! He told me that it was unlikely to be a yeast infection because it's not typical to get yeast infections during pregnancy.
With that said, I strongly suggest you call your doctor's office, no matter what day it is and ask them what you should do. You do not know if you have a yeast infection because it has not been confirmed..you are only going by the symptoms and with pregnancy, whatever symptoms you have could very well be pregnancy related and is it worth the risk to use some medication that you may not need that could potentially harm your baby???? Do not self medicate yourself unless your doctor has specifically told you to do so.
I cannot say which product is best to use, except see your ob/gyn for these problems when pregnant.... HOWEVER.... I do have a comment about health after using antibiotics which I wish I'd known way back when I was pregnant.... and that is to do everything possible (maybe more than yogurt alone) to replenish the normal good bacterial balance in the body which will keep the yeast in check. I noticed with the last antibiotic prescription I got at home that even the instructions now at least mention probiotics, but I was recently in the hospital and got antibiotics IV and they never mentioned anything like probiotics, prebiotics, low sugar diet... nothing! Anyway, you may want to look at this: http://itsnotmental.blogspot.com/2011/03/gut-brain-and-ba...
ask your midwife about probiotics
Call your midwife. They may not be open, but when they took the job, they knew it came with weekend pages. They are being well paid to answer questions over the weekend. Call!
It seems like these answers are all over the board. I am 18 weeks preg now and I had a yeast infection about 3 weeks ago. I went to the doc and was told to take monistat 3 day. Just don't insert it too far. There was absolutely no worry or concern from my doc about it and it worked right away.
I was told it's very common to get them while preg because of all the extra "stuff" in there. Since a weekend is short you can just wait til Monday morning and call your doc to be sure.
I had a yeast infection early in my current pregnancy due to antibiotics too. They told me to use Monistat 7 Day. I looked up the symtoms in my pregnancy book and I was fairlycertain that it was just a yeast infection. As to the person who said that you usually don't get yeast infections while pregnant.....the ONLY time I have had them is while pregnant. Every body is different, but I seem to remember that they can occur more often while pregnant. I would not put Cortizone cream near your vagina without Dr approval because that is usually not good to have too much of on your body. Good luck! I am sure you will be fine. People tend to tell horror stories which I am sure you don't really want more to stress over! :) P.S. however horrible those things were that happened to the other people....I treated my yeast infection when I was about 8 weeks- no miscarriage....and as far as still birth there could have been MANY other variables that led to that. You could always try some Probitotics (I used Kefir) and watch your sugar intake during the weekend and call them on Monday. But if you are really concerned just call the emergency number.
