Are Your Medications Causing Yeast Infections?

“Medications have the potential to alter the vaginal pH and microbiome, causing an imbalance which may lead to a yeast infection,” says Rani Ramaswamy, MD, a board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist in Carmel, Indiana. “Typically we see this with antibiotics or steroids, but each person is unique and may experience different side effects from certain medications.”

If you’re prone to yeast infections, talk to your healthcare provider to see if it’s necessary that you take any of the medications below or if other treatment options might suit you.

Prescription antibiotics are very effective at treating a sinus infection, strep throat, or other bacterial infections. But in their quest to rid your body of the bacteria making you sick, they can also put you at risk of developing a yeast infection.

“The purpose of antibiotics is to kill bacteria, so when you take them for an infection, it can also kill the good bacteria in the vagina,” says Jennifer Griffin, NP, a women’s health practitioner and certified nurse midwife at Stony Brook Medicine in Lake Grove, New York. “This can cause an overgrowth of yeast in some patients.”

Corticosteroids — which people may take for all kinds of health conditions including allergies, autoimmune disorders, and skin conditions — increase your odds of developing a yeast infection in two ways.

“Steroids can directly increase a patient’s blood glucose levels,” says Griffin. “When blood glucose levels are elevated, we can see an overgrowth of candida.”

“Patients on immunosuppressants like chemotherapy, or medications taken following transplant surgery, are considered to be at a higher risk of developing yeast infections,” says Griffin. “These medications weaken their immune system and the ability to fight off infections.”

• dapagliflozin (Farxiga)
• canagliflozin (Invokana)
• empagliflozin (Jardiance)

Dr. Ramaswamy adds that an increase in your A1C level may be what causes a yeast infection — and not the diabetes medication itself.

“In women with recurrent yeast infections, we commonly test for diabetes, as this is a risk factor,” she says.

• Avoid douching, which can kill the healthy bacteria that control fungus.
• Don’t use vaginal deodorants or scented period products.
• Change out of wet bathing suits or gym clothes as soon as possible.
• Wear cotton underwear and loose-fitting clothes.
• Use water-based sexual lubricants.
• Keep your blood sugar levels in a normal range.

• fluconazole (Diflucan)
• miconazole (Monistat)
• terconazole (Terazol 7)
• Boric acid

Griffin says that if symptoms don’t improve within a few days after you start an OTC treatment, you should see a medical professional.

“Evaluation with an exam and lab tests may need to be done to make sure there isn’t a different type of infection or a coinfection that needs to be treated,” she says.

“There’s no good evidence to support vaginal yogurt, but I do recommend eating yogurt for good gut health,” says Griffin. “Candida lives in both the gastrointestinal tract and the vagina.”

The Takeaway

• Certain medications, including antibiotics, steroids, hormonal contraception, diabetes medications, and immunosuppressants, can increase the risk of yeast infections.
• If you’re prone to yeast infections and take medications that increase the risk, speak to your doctor about alternative treatments.
• You can lower your risk of yeast infections by avoiding scented vaginal products, changing out of wet bathing suits or gym clothes, and wearing cotton underwear and loose-fitting clothes.