A vaginalyeast infection, also known as candidiasis, is a common infection, and most women will have one at some point in their lives. A yeast infection occurs when there is an overgrowth of theCandidafungus in thevagina. Symptoms include burning, itching, and a thick, white discharge that affect the vagina andvulva.
Using certain types of birth control can put a person at higher risk for developing a vaginal yeast infection due to their effect on the vagina’s balance of bacteria and yeast. Fortunately, many yeast infections can be easily treated at home, and some can even be prevented.
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Ways Birth Control Increases Yeast Infection Risk
There are several factors that can affect your risk of developing a yeast infection.Pregnancy, hormone therapy, uncontrolled diabetes, immunosuppression, and antibiotic use can all contribute to a yeast infection. In addition,birth controllike oral contraceptives, intrauterine devices, spermicide, and condoms can increase your chances of getting one as well.
Hormonal Birth Control
It can come in the form of a daily oral pill, vaginal ring (replaced monthly), skin patches (replaced monthly), injections (given every three months), or anintrauterine device(changed every three to 10 years depending on the brand).Not all types of hormonal contraception can increase the risk of yeast infections.
Studies have shown that women who use the levonorgestrel intrauterine system are at higher risk of vaginal infections than women who use other types of birth control.Because hormonal birth control can increase your risk for other types of vaginal infections as well, it’s important to talk with your healthcare provider if you suspect you have developed an infection. Your practititioner will be able to diagnose your infection and prescribe the appropriate treatment.
Hormonal birth control can lead to other vaginal changes too. A 2013 study found that users of the ethylene-vinyl acetate vaginal ring may experience an increase in vaginal discharge. While it is possible forCandidayeasts to adhere to the ring, there is no evidence that women who use it experience more yeast infections than women who use other methods of birth control.
Spermicide
It’s important to note that medications for vaginal yeast infections can make spermicides less effective. Talk with yourgynecologistabout other birth control options when you are taking an antifungal medication.
6 Types of Spermicide and How to Use Them
Prevention
Even if your birth control places you at higher risk of a yeast infection, there are steps you can take to protect yourself. Prevention methods involve keeping your vagina’s balance of bacteria and yeast at a healthy level.
To prevent a yeast infection, it’s important to:
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Home Treatments
A vaginal yeast infection will not resolve on its own and needs to be treated with an antifungal medication. There are many options available over the counter, and they may come in the form of creams, ointments, or vaginal suppositories. There are also natural supplements that claim to treat yeast infections, but they have not been proven effective.
The treatment course may require one dose or take up to seven days depending on the brand and method. Over-the-counter options include:
Your healthcare provider may also recommend a onetime oral dose of prescription antifungal medication, such as Diflucan (fluconazole).
If you suspect you are experiencing a yeast infection while pregnant, talk with your obstetrician. While many over-the-counter products are safe to use during pregnancy, oral fluconazole has been linked to birth defects.
When to Call a Healthcare Provider
If you’re unsure whether you have a yeast infection, see your healthcare provider before treating it. Using antifungal treatments when you do not need them can upset the balance of normal flora in the vagina, which could lead to other symptoms.
Most cases of yeast infection can be safely treated at home. However, if over-the-counter products do not provide relief, talk with your practitioner. There are other infections that have the same symptoms as yeast infections, so your healthcare provider may need to see you to provide the right diagnosis and treatment. It’s estimated that up to two-thirds of women who buy over-the-counter yeast infection treatments do not have a yeast infection.
If you find that you are experiencing recurring yeast infections, talk with your healthcare provider. Your practitioner will test to confirm if your symptoms are due to a yeast infection and can prescribe medications to reduce your likelihood of getting recurrent infections. It’s also possible that you may be experiencing recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis (RVVC), which affects about 5% of women and requires prescription antifungal medication.
How Vaginal Yeast Infection Is Treated
7 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Office on Women’s Health.Vaginal yeast infections.Gonçalves B, Ferreira C, Alves CT, Henriques M, Azeredo J, Silva S.Vulvovaginal candidiasis: Epidemiology, microbiology and risk factors.Crit Rev Microbiol. 2016 Nov;42(6):905-27. doi:10.3109/1040841X.2015Office on Women’s Health.Birth control methods.Rezk M, Sayyed T, Masood A, Dawood R.Risk of bacterial vaginosis, Trichomonas vaginalis and Candida albicans infection among new users of combined hormonal contraception vs LNG-IUS.Eur J Contracept Reprod Health Care. 2017 Oct;22(5):344-348. doi:10.1080/13625187.2017.1365835Donders GG, Berger J, Heuninckx H, Bellen G, Cornelis A.Vaginal flora changes on Pap smears after insertion of levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine device.Contraception. 2011 Apr;83(4):352-6. doi:10.1016/j.contraception.2010.08.007Lete I, Cuesta MC, Marín JM, Guerra S.Vaginal health in contraceptive vaginal ring users - A review.Eur J Contracept Reprod Health Care. 2013 Aug;18(4):234-41. doi:10.3109/13625187.2013.801954Healthy Women.Overview.Additional ReadingDe Seta F, Restaino S, De Santo D, Stabile G, Banco R, Busetti M, Barbati G, Guaschino S.Effects of hormonal contraception on vaginal flora.Contraception. 2012 Nov;86(5):526-9. doi:10.1016/j.contraception.2012.02.012
7 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Office on Women’s Health.Vaginal yeast infections.Gonçalves B, Ferreira C, Alves CT, Henriques M, Azeredo J, Silva S.Vulvovaginal candidiasis: Epidemiology, microbiology and risk factors.Crit Rev Microbiol. 2016 Nov;42(6):905-27. doi:10.3109/1040841X.2015Office on Women’s Health.Birth control methods.Rezk M, Sayyed T, Masood A, Dawood R.Risk of bacterial vaginosis, Trichomonas vaginalis and Candida albicans infection among new users of combined hormonal contraception vs LNG-IUS.Eur J Contracept Reprod Health Care. 2017 Oct;22(5):344-348. doi:10.1080/13625187.2017.1365835Donders GG, Berger J, Heuninckx H, Bellen G, Cornelis A.Vaginal flora changes on Pap smears after insertion of levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine device.Contraception. 2011 Apr;83(4):352-6. doi:10.1016/j.contraception.2010.08.007Lete I, Cuesta MC, Marín JM, Guerra S.Vaginal health in contraceptive vaginal ring users - A review.Eur J Contracept Reprod Health Care. 2013 Aug;18(4):234-41. doi:10.3109/13625187.2013.801954Healthy Women.Overview.Additional ReadingDe Seta F, Restaino S, De Santo D, Stabile G, Banco R, Busetti M, Barbati G, Guaschino S.Effects of hormonal contraception on vaginal flora.Contraception. 2012 Nov;86(5):526-9. doi:10.1016/j.contraception.2012.02.012
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Office on Women’s Health.Vaginal yeast infections.Gonçalves B, Ferreira C, Alves CT, Henriques M, Azeredo J, Silva S.Vulvovaginal candidiasis: Epidemiology, microbiology and risk factors.Crit Rev Microbiol. 2016 Nov;42(6):905-27. doi:10.3109/1040841X.2015Office on Women’s Health.Birth control methods.Rezk M, Sayyed T, Masood A, Dawood R.Risk of bacterial vaginosis, Trichomonas vaginalis and Candida albicans infection among new users of combined hormonal contraception vs LNG-IUS.Eur J Contracept Reprod Health Care. 2017 Oct;22(5):344-348. doi:10.1080/13625187.2017.1365835Donders GG, Berger J, Heuninckx H, Bellen G, Cornelis A.Vaginal flora changes on Pap smears after insertion of levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine device.Contraception. 2011 Apr;83(4):352-6. doi:10.1016/j.contraception.2010.08.007Lete I, Cuesta MC, Marín JM, Guerra S.Vaginal health in contraceptive vaginal ring users - A review.Eur J Contracept Reprod Health Care. 2013 Aug;18(4):234-41. doi:10.3109/13625187.2013.801954Healthy Women.Overview.
Office on Women’s Health.Vaginal yeast infections.
Gonçalves B, Ferreira C, Alves CT, Henriques M, Azeredo J, Silva S.Vulvovaginal candidiasis: Epidemiology, microbiology and risk factors.Crit Rev Microbiol. 2016 Nov;42(6):905-27. doi:10.3109/1040841X.2015
Office on Women’s Health.Birth control methods.
Rezk M, Sayyed T, Masood A, Dawood R.Risk of bacterial vaginosis, Trichomonas vaginalis and Candida albicans infection among new users of combined hormonal contraception vs LNG-IUS.Eur J Contracept Reprod Health Care. 2017 Oct;22(5):344-348. doi:10.1080/13625187.2017.1365835
Donders GG, Berger J, Heuninckx H, Bellen G, Cornelis A.Vaginal flora changes on Pap smears after insertion of levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine device.Contraception. 2011 Apr;83(4):352-6. doi:10.1016/j.contraception.2010.08.007
Lete I, Cuesta MC, Marín JM, Guerra S.Vaginal health in contraceptive vaginal ring users - A review.Eur J Contracept Reprod Health Care. 2013 Aug;18(4):234-41. doi:10.3109/13625187.2013.801954
Healthy Women.Overview.
De Seta F, Restaino S, De Santo D, Stabile G, Banco R, Busetti M, Barbati G, Guaschino S.Effects of hormonal contraception on vaginal flora.Contraception. 2012 Nov;86(5):526-9. doi:10.1016/j.contraception.2012.02.012
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