Fungal infection took over as the main problem eight months into my pregnancy. I was terribly stressed out because of it. The infection started right after my course of antibiotics for a minor ear infection. Could it be the cocktail of antibiotics upset the balance of good and bad bacteria in my body? I wondered.

Anyway, it started out very mildly and I did not inform my OB about it. I tried taking extra amounts of probiotics and yogurt, which contains live culture of Lactobacillus acidophilus. I also included garlic into my diet each day for it’s anti-fungal properties. Sweet stuff are kept to an absolute minimum as they are known to aggravate fungal ailments.

As it turned out, I had grossly underestimated the severity of my fungal infection. In less than a week, my condition was turning from bad to worst.

On my next visit to the OB, a swab was taken from my vaginal discharge and tested just to be sure it’s not Group B streptococcus. This is the type of bacteria that can cause serious illnesses for both mother and baby during pregnancy and after delivery. Urinary Tract Infections due to Group B streptococcus is one of the causes of premature labour for women. Fortunately, the test confirmed I have yeast infection caused by a type of bacteria called Candida Albicans.

It is fairly common for pregnant women to experience fungal infection due to higher levels of estrogen in our bodies which in turn influences the varginal to produce more glycogen (a type of sugar). Yeast growth thrive in such an environment and spreads easily in the reproductive tract.

Considering my due date is just a month away, it’s important to cure the infection before labour. It took 3 different types of vaginal tablets (Gyno-Trosyd, Canesten and Neo-Penofran) for a complete cure, just in time for labour. Left untreated, newborns are vulnerable to a type of fungal infection called thrush. Causing white patches to appear on their tongue. Although it is quite common and can easily treated, it’s best not to expose our babies to such ailments if possible.

Next up, I will write how I suffered a different kind of skin itchiness while I was still treating my fungal infection.