Can a Yeast Infection Affect a Pregnancy Test?

Yeast infections are common. In fact, the most common type of vaginal infection is yeast infection. But can a yeast infection interfere with a pregnancy test?

Can a Yeast Infection Affect a Pregnancy Test?

The short answer is: No. Yeast infections do not interfere with pregnancy tests at all. Basically, a pregnancy test measures the levels of hCG in urine and provides a reading that reflects your current hormone levels. 

Normally, hCG is a hormone produced by the placenta during pregnancy and can be easily traced in blood or urine 10 days after conception. So, most of these pregnancy tests will hugely rely on hCG as its presence will signify conception and vice versa.

Although yeast infection will indeed affect the production of hormones like estrogen and progesterone in your body, there is no way it will affect hCG production to the extent of not giving a reliable pregnancy test result.

So, none of this yeast infection will affect your pregnancy outcome. This article digs deep into yeast infection, specifically during pregnancy, and its counter-preventive measures. 

Can a Yeast Infection Cause a Negative Pregnancy Test?

No, a yeast infection cannot cause a negative pregnancy test. Yeast infections are unfortunately commonplace among pregnant people, causing a proliferation of fungi in the vagina. Nonetheless, these infections have no effect on hCG levels—the hormone registered by pregnancy tests.

While hCG is typically detected when testing urine or blood, false negatives can occur if the available test is defective or done too early. It is therefore important to confer with a medical professional for an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan, should you be pregnant or notice symptoms of a yeast infection.

Yeast Infection During pregnancy

Yeast infections are common during pregnancy, especially in the second and third trimesters. This is because your body is simultaneously changing to accommodate the development of the fetus, weakening your immune system and leaving loopholes for these bacteria to act. 

Typically, most yeast infections are due to the overgrowth of Candida albicans, a bacterium naturally found in the Vagina and other body openings. And its overgrowth is hugely triggered by the imbalance of good bacteria in the Vagina, or the respective body part resulting in a favorable yielding ground for infections.

You can treat these yeast infections with over-the-counter medications such as Monistat or Diflucan, but if they don’t go away after several days of treatment, you may wish to consult your doctor.

However, the good news is that while you may be dealing with an uncomfortable condition, it won’t affect your ability to conceive or carry a baby to term. In fact, having a yeast infection during pregnancy may be termed normal and will not affect fertility or pregnancy outcomes. So, yeast infection definitely won’t influence your pregnancy test results.

Causes of Yeast Infection During pregnancy

There are many causes of yeast infections in pregnant women — including hormonal changes and stress. However, the most common reason for a yeast infection during pregnancy is candida overgrowth in the Vagina, as mentioned above. 

Normally, this happens when there is an increase in the amount of mucus or other vaginal discharge in the presence of bacteria that feed on these sugars (dietary sugars). 

So, the resulting imbalance between these two organisms will lead to an overgrowth of Candida albicans (yeast) bacteria in the Vagina, increasing the chances of yeast infection.

There are other possible causes of yeast infection during pregnancy, as indicated below;

• Hormonal changes

During pregnancy, estrogen levels rise, and progesterone levels fall significantly, affecting the overall body response to yeast infections. So, bacteria will take advantage of this situation and multiply effectively without resistance, yielding a vaginal infection. 

• Candida overgrowth caused by diabetes or medications

Candida albicans are naturally present in many people’s bodies, but it normally lives in balance with other microbes (including beneficial bacteria). However, when good bacteria levels decrease in the gut, an imbalance is created, favoring the overgrowth of candida albicans.

This condition is more common in women who take oral contraceptives or hormone replacement therapy (HRT), as these medications may increase the risk of developing thrush.

• Yeast overgrowth caused by antibiotics

Antibiotics can kill off some of the good bacteria in your gut, allowing yeast or fungus to take over and cause an infection. This is especially likely if you have taken antibiotics for a long time and become pregnant.

Crucial Symptoms of Yeast Infection

The symptoms of a yeast infection are often described as sensational, itching, and burning. Yet, they vary from individual to individual. Some are mild, while others are severe. Below are a few yeast infection symptoms.

• It might take several days for symptoms to appear after you get an infection. The first sign may be itching or burning at the site of your discharge, but it can take several days for these symptoms to develop into a full-blown yeast infection.
• A white coating on your underwear after you wash them
• A thick, creamy-white vaginal discharge that smells like vinegar or even alcohol

Potential Yeast Infection Preventive Measures When Pregnant

Pregnant women are more prone to yeast infections because of hormonal changes and weakened immune systems. So, you must take the necessary preventive measures to counter these potential yeast infections impacts.

Some of these preventive measures you can take include:

• Eat a balanced diet with vitamin C

The first step to preventing a yeast infection during pregnancy is ensuring you get enough vitamin C (found in citrus fruits, green vegetables, asparagus, and tomatoes) daily. Vitamin C helps to reduce the negative effects of bacteria on your body and fight off infections like yeast.

If you suspect that you have an infection of yeast or if you have one already. Magnesium oxide and zinc oxide should both be included in your regular multivitamin. These supplements will help replenish magnesium levels as well as prevent further damage from taking place within your body’s tissues

• Reduce your use of antibiotics

If you’re pregnant and you need to treat a yeast infection, talk to your doctor about alternatives to antibiotics.

• Drink plenty of water

Drinking extra water helps flush out toxins from your body, which can help prevent yeast overgrowth. Aim for 8 glasses of water each day, 8 ounces each, with at least half coming from food sources rather than beverages.

Finally, you should talk with your doctor about any concerns you have regarding any aspect of your health during pregnancy. Your doctor will be able to answer any questions you have about yeast infections during pregnancy—and they’ll also know what’s best for your baby’s development!

Bottom Line

A yeast infection can’t be why a pregnancy test comes out negative. And there is no connection between yeast infections and being pregnant. Overgrowth of some strains of Diflucan or other bacteria in our systems leads to yeast infections.

So, yeast infection in your reproductive system won’t affect the presence of pregnancy hormone in your urine, hence not affecting the conception results.