- my iParenting
- quick clicks
- moms today articles
- moms today q&a
- community & groups
- research baby names
- prepare a birth plan
- content channels
- ip channel rss feeds
- read birth stories
- read parenting stories
- recommended books
- e-newsletters
- safety recalls
- ip diaries
- ip store
- mom of the month
- dad of the month
- editor's letter
- letters to the editor
From Our Sponsors
- e-newsletters
- Sign up to receive our free weekly e-newsletters
- award-winning products
The iParenting Media Awards program helps parents find the best products for their families.
Yeast Infection Questions
What to Expect at the Doctor's Office
By Kelly Burgess
It is estimated that 75 percent of all women will experience at least one yeast infection in their lifetime. Of that number, 50 percent of all women are diagnosed with yeast infections by age 25. Although many of these women may assume they have an infection, it's not good health sense to do so. A doctor or other qualified medical professional should always diagnose first yeast infections. The process itself isn't difficult, and to illustrate just how easy it is, let's follow a typical subject, Catherine, who suspected she had a yeast infection.
Catherine's yeast infection began, as most do, with a nagging itching and burning around the vaginal area. Within a day or so, she begins to notice a thick, white discharge – the consistency of smooth cottage cheese. If there's any doubt at all about what is causing the problem, a woman should always see her doctor. Gambling with your reproductive health is always a bad bet.
At this point, many women rush to their pharmacy to purchase an over-the-counter remedy. M. Kelly Shanahan, M.D., of the Emerald Bay Center for Women's Health in South Lake Tahoe, Calif., explains why this is not a good idea.
"What by its symptoms may seem like a yeast infection isn't always a yeast infection," says Dr. Shanahan. "The best thing to do is see one's doctor for definitive testing to rule out other types of bacterial infections that mimic yeast infections but can't be cured with yeast infection treatments."
Dr. Shanahan schedules an immediate appointment for Catherine and asks her not to douche or use any vaginal creams prior to the appointment. Otherwise the examiner only sees the yeast cream, which makes diagnosis more difficult.