Many pregnant women experience thrush during pregnancy. Thrush is also known as a yeast infection. If you have never experienced this before, the symptoms include redness, itching and white patches on the affected area. Pregnant women generally experience thrush in the vagina, but it can grow in the mouth as well.
There are a few things that are known to contribute to thrush. One is the use of antibiotics. These medications save lives, but are being over used in our society. The antibiotic kills the natural defense we have to candida, which is yeast or thrush. The absence of this natural protection allows the candida to grow unchecked.
If you experience symptoms that you think are related to thrush, contact your health care provider. You want to be sure that you are treating the right problem with the right medication. Your health care provider will tell you how to treat the symptoms with no negative effects on the baby.
Some women have recurrent yeast infections. In this case, prevention is the best cure. There are a few things you can do to reduce your risk of thrush and treat it if it does happen. Plain yogurt with live acidipholus cultures are great for preventing thrush. If you already have it, the yogurt can be put directly on the patches to speed healing.
Make sure you buy the right yogurt. The Trix yogurt the kids bug you for won’t do it. You need plain yogurt and be sure it has live acidophilus. Powdered acidophilus is sold in health food stores. This can be put right on the affected area without difficulty.
Witch hazel is another effective home remedy for yeast infections. Pour the witch hazel on a sterile gauze pad and then apply to the affected areas. The witch hazel can be refrigerated for an even more cooling effect.
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