Your body changes tremendously while pregnant and may bring on some unpleasant and uncomfortable side effects. Yeast infections are quite common during pregnancy, and potassium sorbate is one treatment you may we wondering if you can use. Always speak with your doctor before using any medication, supplement or remedy while expecting.
Uses
Potassium sorbate is used by beer makers to help inhibit the growth and formation of excess yeast. It may also be used to treat yeast infections when it is not appropriate to use over-the-counter medications. Potassium sorbate wipes can be used to cleanse and freshen your vaginal area as well. Ask your doctor before using potassium sorbate to treat a yeast infection because she may want to examine you to make sure that you truly have an infection and not another problem.
Pregnancy
You are more likely to get a yeast infection during pregnancy than at any other time in your life. They are most common during the second trimester and can be more uncomfortable than if you were not pregnant. Over-the-counter yeast infection medications may cause harm to your unborn baby and are not recommended for use while pregnant. If you have thick, white, cottage cheese-like discharge, a yeasty vaginal odor, pain when urinating, redness or itching, you may have a yeast infection. Untreated yeast infections can be passed to your baby during delivery, which can lead to a condition called thrush.
Cautions
You should not douche during pregnancy because it can cause harm to your unborn baby and may also lead to the development of a yeast infection. If you are feeling unclean in your vaginal area, plain soap and water can help you feel more fresh and clean. Do not use potassium sorbate wipes for cleansing purposes without speaking to your doctor first. Your vagina naturally cleans itself, but your body changes during pregnancy, and you may cause more harm than good by using the solution if you do not have a yeast infection.
How To
If you have received the go-ahead from your doctor to use potassium sorbate to treat your yeast infection, you can administer the treatment at home. The Boston Women's Health Book Collective, creators of the popular book "Our Bodies, Ourselves: A New Edition for a New Era," reports that you can soak a tampon in 3-percent potassium sorbate solution and insert it into your vagina at night and take out when you get up in the morning. If you are uncomfortable using a tampon, ask your doctor about Nystatin, a medication that has been shown to be safe for use during pregnancy.
References
- Drugs.com: Potassium Sorbate
- "Our Bodies, Ourselves: A New Edition for a New Era"; Boston Women's Health Book Collective; 2005
- American Pregnancy Association; Yeast Infections During Pregnancy; April 2006
