Doctors Weigh In on Alternative Yeast Infection Treatments

Dr. Pari was featured as a guest contributor in the article below, originally posted for Glamour Magazine by Korin Miller, January 12, 2016.

It’s a fact: Pregnant women are more susceptible to getting yeast infections. But new research has found that not all treatments are safe for them.

A JAMA study that analyzed data from 1.4 million pregnancies in Denmark found that treating a yeast infection during pregnancy with oral antifungal medication increases the risk that a woman will have a spontaneous abortion, compared to those who use topical creams or those with no yeast infection.

Of the 3,315 pregnant women who took oral fluconazole (a medication used to fight yeast infections) from seven to 22 weeks pregnant, 147 had a spontaneous abortion, a higher rate than those who did not take the medicine. There were also 21 stillbirths among women who used the medication between week seven and when they gave birth.

The study shows how much something as seemingly minor as a yeast infection can impact you when you’re pregnant. “Topical medication is definitely considered safer,” says women’s health expert Jennifer Wider, M.D. And, she adds, that’s true whether you’re pregnant or not.

But pills and OTC topical creams aren’t the only ways to treat a yeast infection—regardless of whether you have a bun in the oven—so we asked experts to weigh in on other alternative treatment options. Here’s their take:

Putting a Probiotic Tablet Directly in Your Vagina

It sounds wonky, but some women swear by inserting a tablet containing the bacteria lactobacillus up there. “There is some evidence that inserting a preparation containing lactobacillus acidophilus into the vagina can be effective in treating and preventing yeast infections,” says Wider. But Jonathan Schaffir, M.D., an ob-gyn at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, says for most people, it’s probably better to go a more conventional route. However, there might be some benefit to this method for certain people: Schaffir says tablets might be good for preventing yeast infections in women who are more prone to getting them.

Inserting a Tampon Doused in Tea Tree Oil

Again, possibly not something you’ve heard of before, but some women swear by it. Wider calls the results “questionable,” and board-certified ob-gyn Pari Ghodsi, M.D., isn’t convinced either. “I am not an advocate of putting at-home remedies in your vagina,” Ghodsi says. “It can throw off the pH balance further, irritate your vagina, and worsen an existing infection.”

Using a Boric Acid Suppository

When other methods fail, some women turn to boric acid—but there’s a reason why it’s often tried after other treatments. “This can be very effective, but it can also be very irritating,” says Schaffir. The treatment would need to be prescribed by your doctor and then inserted in your vagina (Schaffir stresses that you don’t ingest it, since boric acid can be very dangerous if you swallow it.) Wider points out that studies have found boric acid to be particularly helpful for women with chronic and recurrent yeast infections.

While there are a variety of treatments to choose from, Ghodsi says there really isn’t a “best” way to treat a yeast infection. But if you’ve tried the usual over-the-counter medication and you’re still experiencing issues, it’s time to see your doctor. (And, if you’re pregnant, you should always consult your physician before taking anykind of medication—yeast infection treatments included.)

Think you’ve got a run of the mill yeast infection? Schaffir says you should reach for a topical antifungal cream. “I still recommend that for first-line treatment,” he says.