Yeast infection during pregnancy? There may be risks treating with the prescription pill.

Vaginal yeast infections are common. They’re caused by an overgrowth of yeast (Candida) that normally live in the vagina. Women who are pregnant are 50% more likely to get a vaginal yeast infection due to the increase in hormone levels. While a yeast infection usually poses no major negative effect on pregnancy, symptoms can cause a great deal of discomfort if not treated quickly.

When a yeast infection strikes, not all available treatment options are created equal. A 2016 Danish study looked into the possible risk of miscarriage when taking fluconazole (the leading prescription pill) to treat yeast infections during pregnancy and, while the FDA is still reviewing that study, it advises caution in using fluconazole and recommends considering alternative treatment options during pregnancy.

The only form of treatment that the CDC recommends to treat yeast infection during pregnancy is a 7-day topical therapy1. MONISTAT® 7 is a 7-day treatment that relieves yeast infection symptoms four times faster and works on more of the most common strains of yeast than the leading prescription oral pill.

If you are pregnant, or think you may be pregnant, speak to your doctor first before selecting a treatment.