How To Prevent And Ease Thrush Or Candida Overgrowth During Pregnancy
Thrush is caused by an overgrowth of the yeast Candida albicans, which causes itchiness, soreness or redness around the vagina. It may produce a thick, white or creamy texture that smells of yeast. Due to the many hormone changes that occur during pregnancy, some women can become vulnerable to thrush or candida overgrowth.
A diet low in fibre and high in sugar also feeds the growth of Candida albicans. A healthy level of beneficial flora (refer to our article here) can usually keep things in balance. However, according to Henrietta Norton, a fertility and pregnancy nutritional therapist, "if you had a diet that was high in foods such as sweets, chocolate and white bread, or you had an imbalance in beneficial flora before you fell pregnant, you can be more susceptible to thrush during pregnancy."
It’s critical to address this before giving birth as during the natural birth process, your baby will ingest the flora that’s present in your vaginal canal. This is nature’s way of building your baby’s immune system. However, if an overgrowth of Candida albicans is present, this means your baby is likely to ingest it during birth and this can increase the incidence of thrush in your baby. Candida albicans is also an iron-loving yeast and may make you more susceptible to iron-deficiency anaemia in pregnancy.
Ways to ease thrush
Add two teaspoons of natural live yoghurt on a sanitary pad in your undies.
Opt for natural, non-perfumed soaps.
Create a ‘sitz bath’ by adding half a cup of apple cider vinegar to a small amount of warm bath water. Sit in it for 10 minutes.
Support your gut flora by taking a probiotic supplement. The strain Saccharomyces boulardii has been shown to be especially effective at reducing overgrowth of Candida albicans and is safe to take during pregnancy.
Increase your intake of fibre from vegetables, particularly those rich in prebiotics such as artichokes, asparagus, chicory, garlic and onions.
Avoid refined sugar and refined carbohydrates.
To address the reasons why overgrowth may have occurred in the first place, consult a qualified nutritional therapist or naturopath.
Include plenty of iron-rich foods, such as beef and green leafy vegetables, in your pregnancy diet.
N.B. This information is designed to be used in conjunction with, and is not a substitute for, the advice of your doctor or health care practitioner.