Everything You Should Know about Yeast Infections

Pro-Uro®: Empowering Women Everywhere

This is the second part of the article about Urogenital Infections written by our in-house Pharmacist, who was a speaker at our recent educational webinar “Women’s Health & Self-Care” jointly organised with Singapore Nurses Association in conjunction with Nurses’ Day. Read on to learn more about Yeast Infections.

Ever experienced vaginal itching and irritations? Maybe there is also a thick and white discharge? These are some of the common symptoms of yeast infections. In this article related to women’s health, we will be going through useful facts that you should know about this intimate problem.

What are Yeast Infections?

Yeast Infections, also known as vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC), is one of the most common causes of vaginal itching and discharge. It is mainly caused by the fungus Candida albicans which accounts for over 80% of yeast infections.¹

Did you know?

Yeast infections are a common condition with about 75% of women experiencing it at least once in their lifetime!²

Why do you have Yeast Infections?

Here are some of the factors that may predispose women to yeast infections:¹

• Stress

• Antibiotics

• Pregnancy

• Diabetes

• Oral contraceptive pills

• Women in their reproductive ages from 15 to 40 years old

How do you know if you have Yeast Infections?

Women who have yeast infections may experience symptoms like:¹

• Vaginal itching

• Redness and irritation of the vagina

• Abnormal vaginal discharge which has a cottage cheese-like texture

What can you do to prevent Yeast Infections?

While yeast infections are a common problem, fret not as these are things you can do to reduce the occurrence of yeast infections:

• Wiping from the front to the back after using the toilet

• Wearing breathable underwear and loose clothing

• Changing pads, tampons or panty liners often during menstruation

• Changing out of wet clothes

• Avoiding hot and long baths

• Avoiding use of vaginal douche and scented feminine products

Some antifungal creams may also contain steroids which can help to reduce vaginal itching and redness.

What if you have Yeast Infections?

Some women may even experience multiple episodes of yeast infections over a short period of time and are unsure what to do.

You can visit your nearest pharmacy or clinic to get oral or topical antifungals. It is important to note that you should always finish the course of treatment to ensure the most optimal health outcome.

Alternatively, you can consider using probiotics strains such as Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1® and Lactobacillus reuteri RC-14® in Pro-Uro® which can help to manage yeast infections by restoring and maintaining a healthy vaginal flora. This combination of probiotic strains has been clinically proven to help treat and prevent yeast infections by producing anti-microbial agents and inhibiting the adhesion of harmful pathogens in the vagina.³'⁴ In addition, probiotics such as GR-1® and RC-14® is safe to be taken long term as compared with medical drugs.

Conclusion

• Yeast infections are a common and irritating condition that affects many women worldwide.

• There are simple prevention steps you can take to avoid contracting yeast infections.

• It is crucial to always finish the antimicrobial course for yeast infections to reduce the risk of recurrences.

• Probiotic strains such as Lactobacillus strains GR-1® and RC-14® in Pro-Uro® can be taken as they are clinically proven to help with treatment and prevention of yeast infections.

This health article is brought to you by Miraco Nutripharm. With clinically proven women’s probiotic Pro-Uro® as our key product, we believe in sharing about common health topics relevant to women. Look out for third part of this article to learn more about Bacterial Vaginosis.

References:

1. Sobel JD, Mitchell C. Candida vulvovaginitis: Clinical Manifestation and diagnosis. In: UpToDate, Post, TW (Ed), UpToDate, Waltham, MA, 2021

2. Zeng X, Zhang Y, Zhang T, Xue Y, Xu H, An R. Risk Factors of Vulvovaginal Candidiasis among Women of Reproductive Age in Xi'an: A Cross-Sectional Study. Biomed Res Int. 2018 Jun 7;2018:9703754. doi: 10.1155/2018/9703754. PMID: 29977925; PMCID: PMC6011108

3. Martinez RC, Franceschini SA, Patta MC et al. Improved treatment of vulvovaginal candidiasis with fluconazole plus probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1 and Lactobacillus reuteri RC-14. Lett Appl Microbiol. 2009 Mar;48(3):269-74

4. Anukam KC, Duru MU, Eze CC et al. Oral use of probiotics as an adjunctive therapy to fluconazole in the treatment of yeast vaginitis: A study of Nigerian women in an outdoor clinic. Microbial Ecology in Health and Disease. 2009 July; 21(2):72-77

Disclaimer: The article content is intended for informational or educational purposes only, and does not substitute professional medical advice or consultations with healthcare professionals. The disclaimer also provides that no warranties are given in relation to the medical information supplied in the article, and that no liability will accrue to Miraco Nutripharm Pte Ltd or any affiliated authors in the event that a user suffers loss as a result of reliance upon the information.