Yeast Infection Pregnancy - Are Women More Prone To Yeast Infections During Pregnancy?

Unfortunately, Yeast Infection Pregnancy, is not at all uncommon. It’s no secret that pregnancy makes incredible demands on our bodies. As our bodies change, the level of estrogen increases, resulting in an excessive production of a sugar known as Glycogen in the vagina. As a result, women are more susceptible to vaginal yeast infections during pregnancy - particularly during the second trimester.

Vaginal Infections Result From An Overgrowth Of Fungus

Candida, a fungus that resides rather quietly - and goes along generally unnoticed - within our bodies for more than 80% of us, occasionally becomes agitated when subjected to changes - either internal or external.

When that happens, the Candida rapidly reproduces, overrunning its environment, resulting in a yeast infection. A vaginal yeast infection is caused by a member of the Candida family, known as Vaginal Candidiasis or Monollial Vaginitis.

You may be wondering why we have yeast in our bodies at all. As a defensive measure, to battle “uglies” like E. coli and group B. strep, yeast works together with the good bacteria in our bodies to prevent us from getting sick. That is, until something comes along and upsets the body’s delicate chemical balance that sends the Candida on a rampage.

High Levels Of Estrogen Are Believed to Accelerate Yeast Production

During pregnancy, the increased Glycogen does exactly that, creating an exceptionally fertile environment for the yeast to thrive. Some experts have concluded that the high levels of estrogen as a result of pregnancy may actually accelerate the production of yeast, causing more of it to stick on the vaginal walls. This is one of the reasons for Yeast Infection Pregnancy.

Yeast generally resides in our mouths and our gastrointestinal tract. So, how does it make its way into the vagina?

Remember when your mother always warned you to wipe from front to back after using the restroom? You may have guessed at the reasons why she said that, but you probably weren’t thinking about Candida or yeast.

However, that’s just one of the ways that Candida can travel to the vagina. Because of the close proximity of the anus to the vagina, Candida can actually travel to the vagina without any assistance at all. So, yeast infection pregnancy need not be anything you did wrong.