What is a Yeast Infection?
Vaginal infections caused by a specific kind of yeast (a fungus) called Candida are common and are technically called candidiasis. This yeast lives on the moist surfaces of many parts of the body, including your mouth, genitals, anus, and skin. Candida is a type of yeast, hence the term yeast infection. An infection may occur when the balance of yeast versus good bacteria in the body tips in favour of yeast. Surprisingly, some women who have Candida detected on their vaginal or cervical swabs have no symptoms at all [1, 2, 3].
Causes of a Yeast Infection
Candida can overgrow due to numerous factors that disrupt the vagina’s average balance of yeast. This includes fluctuating estrogen levels during pregnancy, while nursing, during the menstrual cycle, and after menopause; sexual intercourse; urinary tract infection; or prolonged antibiotic use, which changes bacteria levels in the vagina.
A spike in sugar in the vagina’s mucous membranes, caused by uncontrolled diabetes, for instance, can promote yeast growth. Antibiotics also wipe out many of the naturally occurring ‘good’ vaginal bacteria that keep yeast under control.
Other causes include flushing or washing the vagina with a douche or other vaginal sprays, which can recreate the bacterial imbalance in the vagina, and a poor immune system, such as those in HIV-positive individuals or with other autoimmune disorders, who might be more prone to vaginal yeast infections [4, 5].
In some cases, yeast infections can also be caused by exposure to exogenous sources of yeast, such as baker's yeast used in baking [6].
Risk Factors of Yeast Infections
Why do yeast infections develop in some individuals and not in others? The most critical risk factor for yeast infections is the overgrowth of yeast. There are some reasons why this can occur apart from infection.
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