what causes vaginal thrush

Vaginal thrush is a common yeast infection caused by an overgrowth of the yeast Candida albicans, which normally lives in the bowel and in small numbers in the vagina. It is not a sexually transmitted infection (STI) . The overgrowth of yeast can occur due to various reasons, including recent antibiotic use, oral contraceptive use, pregnancy, menstrual cycle changes, general health conditions like diabetes, iron deficiency, and immune system disorders, and associated vulval skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, or jock itch. Sometimes, the reason for candida overgrowth can’t be identified. Frequent thrush can be a sign of chronic vulval dermatitis. Symptoms of vaginal thrush include vaginal itching or burning, a white vaginal discharge, and stinging or burning while urinating. If you think you may have thrush, a test can be done at your GP practice, your local sexual health service, or in some pharmacies. Treatment aims to reduce the number of yeasts, so they no longer cause symptoms, and it can be done by using antifungal treatments that can be bought from a pharmacy.