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Vaginal Yeast Infection (Candidiasis)

By

The Manual's Editorial Staff

Reviewed/Revised Apr 2023
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What are vaginal yeast infections?

Yeast called Candida is a type of fungus. Some Candida live in your vagina all the time. Your vagina connects your uterus (where a baby grows when you're pregnant) to the outside of your body. Some people call it the birth canal. A vaginal yeast infection happens when too many yeast cells grow in your vagina.

Internal Female Genital Organs

Internal Female Genital Organs

What are the symptoms of yeast infections?

How can my doctor tell if I have a yeast infection?

Your doctor will suspect a yeast infection based on your symptoms. To tell for sure, your doctor will do a pelvic exam. During a pelvic exam, your doctor looks at your vulva and inside your vagina. In order to see inside, your doctor will hold your vagina open with a small instrument called a speculum. During the exam, your doctor will use a cotton swab to take a sample of discharge from your vagina and test it.

How do doctors treat yeast infections?

Yeast infections are treated with antifungal medicines. These are available as:

  • Creams, ointments, or suppositories that you put in your vagina (you can get these without a prescription)

  • Prescription pills you take by mouth

The oils in antifungal creams and ointments can weaken condoms made of latex. If you plan to have sex while using one of these medicines, use a different form of birth control, like a diaphragm, but also use a condom to prevent sexually transmitted infections How can I prevent STIs? STIs are infections that are passed from person to person through sexual contact, including oral sex. STIs may be caused by different types of germs, including chlamydia, gonorrhea, HIV, and... read more (STIs).

If you have a high risk of getting yeast infections, you may need to take an antifungal medicine by mouth to prevent them. Needing to take antibiotics for a long time puts you at a high risk for yeast infections.

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