Can A Yeast Infection Affect A Pregnancy Test?
While it might not be something you ever assumed you’d wonder when it came time, this is a question that many women want answered when it comes to ascertaining pregnancy. While it’s not a dangerous infection, a yeast infection is typically not pleasant and can be quite uncomfortable for women. The bad news is that it’s a common occurrence in women who are expecting a baby. However, what does this mean for women who want to become pregnant and are suffering from a yeast infection during the time in which they are to test for pregnancy?
Will A Yeast Infection Affect A Pregnancy Test?
In short, the answer is no; a pregnancy test is not affected by the presence of a yeast infection. Why? The answer here is a simple one. The way in which pregnancy tests are used measures the level of the pregnancy hormone in your urine. Your yeast infection does not affect the levels of the pregnancy hormone, hCG, in your urine. This means your test results will not be compromised thanks to the presence of a yeast infection. What will affect your results, however, is not using your home pregnancy test correctly, using it too soon, using a test that is expired, and/or reading the results of your pregnancy test either too soon or too late.
Provided you correctly use your pregnancy test at home, your results should be as accurate as possible. It is important that you take into consideration, however, that your pregnancy test results might be 99 percent accurate, but only when the test is used on the first day of your expected or missed period. Used any earlier, the accuracy rating of such a test is lowered significantly. To understand just how accurate your test might be, read the instructions carefully to see the accuracy labels for each day leading up to your period. If you take a pregnancy test early, however, and the results are positive, chances are very good that you are pregnant. False positive pregnancy test results are very rare.
Is A Yeast Infection A Sign Of Pregnancy?
Now that you know you haven’t any reason to worry that your existing yeast infection will affect your pregnancy test, you might begin to change your train of thought. You might wonder now whether or not you are pregnant based on the presence of your yeast infection. There is no black or white or right or wrong answer to this question; yeast infections are most common in women who are pregnant and/or obese. If you are not obese, you might wonder if you are pregnant. However, yeast infections do occur in women who are neither, they’re just less common.
There is a chance you might be pregnant if you do not or have not ever suffered from a yeast infection in the past. However, the simple presence of your yeast infection is not enough evidence to properly and accurately determine pregnancy. If you’re worried that your yeast infection might be a sign of pregnancy, talk to your doctor.
When you are pregnant, your body changes drastically. The higher output of female hormones and the lower levels of vaginal acidity present in pregnancy are typically to blame for the sudden and frequent yeast infection outbreaks in many women.
However, you must also consider that prolonged use of many different antibiotics can have the same affect on your body and the presence of yeast infections as pregnancy. This is why it cannot be said with absolute certainly whether or not you might be pregnant based on the presence of a yeast infection. You’ll need to be very familiar with your body and your health to determine whether or not you think your yeast infection means anything more. The only way to be certain is to schedule an appointment with your doctor for a blood test to determine whether or not you have the pregnancy hormone in your blood to determine pregnancy.
What Are The Symptoms Of A Yeast Infection?
There are a number of symptoms associated with yeast infections. While there is a general consensus of the most common symptoms, however, you may or may not experience any or all of them at the same time. Each woman’s body is different and responds differently to the presence of a yeast infection. Some women only notice a mild irritation or a slight or occasional itching in the vaginal area and think nothing of it. Others notice that the itching is frequent, unpleasant, and exceedingly difficult to deal with. This is the most common symptom of any yeast infection.
In addition to itching of the vaginal area, many women notice their vaginal tissue is red and swollen and that it is accompanied by a burning sensation. You might notice the burning sensation throughout the day, or you might only notice the burning sensation when you urinate.
Each woman’s response to a yeast infection is different. Additionally, every woman’s individual yeast infection is different. Sometimes symptoms are very severe and other times they are mild. If you experience any of these symptoms and you question whether or not you might have a yeast infection, call your doctor. He or she will be able to determine whether or not you’re suffering from a yeast infection and provide an antibiotic treatment to rid your body of the infection.
Some doctors, however, are fine with their patients using over-the-counter creams and medications to deal with yeast infections. If you are pregnant or suspect you are pregnant, it’s imperative you talk to your doctor prior to using any treatment for your yeast infection. It’s more important to understand that what you’re using to treat your infection is safe for your unborn children than it is to rid your body of the discomfort provided by the infection. Fortunately, since yeast infections are so common in pregnant women, your doctor will be able to recommend a method of treatment safe for both you and your unborn child.