Vaginal Yeast Infections

A vaginal yeast infection is caused by an overgrowth of yeast organisms that normally live in small numbers in the vagina. Things that may encourage an excess growth of vaginal yeast include:

• Using antibiotics.
• Having high estrogen levels (hyperestrogenemia), such as during pregnancy, Reference hormone therapy (HT or ET) Opens New Window use, high-dose birth control pill use, and the Reference follicular phase of the menstrual cycle Opens New Window.
• Having diabetes, especially if your blood sugars are not well controlled and tend to be high.
• Having an Reference impaired immune system Opens New Window.
• Using corticosteroids, such as prednisone.
• Being overweight.

Most yeast infections involve Candida albicans (C. albicans), a yeast that can be treated effectively with standard yeast infection medicine. Reference Recurrent vaginal yeast infections tend to involve non–C. albicans types of yeast, which are more resistant to the standard treatments for C. albicans yeast infections.

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