Recurrent vaginal thrush (vaginal candida). How can this be prevented?

Objectives:

This study was undertaken to characterize the patients with recurrent vulvovaginal candida.

Study Design:

Basic data of personal history and history of recurrent vulvovaginal candida, lower genital tract symptoms and signs in 50 patients were analyzed in this longitudinal follow-up study including the determination of midluteal serum progesterone and urinary pregnanediol levels during the luteal phase in 84 cycles (recurrent vulvovaginal candida) and 60 cycles (healthy controls).

Results:

All patients suffered primary idiopathic form of recurrent vulvovaginal candida. Frequently, there was a striking discrepancy between severe symptoms and clinical finding, which was often negligible or normal. There was no redness and no or minimum discharge in 52% of culture documented attacks. In contrast to the healthy controls, the patients had significantly lower levels of progesterone (p<0.01) as well as those of urinary pregnanediol (p<0.05).

Conclusion:

Culture positive attacks in patients with recurrent vulvovaginal candida represented rather a form of vulvovaginal discomfort than attacks of vulvovaginal candida with typical inflammatory changes. Significantly lower progesterone levels in the RVVC patients as compared to the healthy controls suggest a link between an altered hormonal status and one of possible causes of RVVC in these women.

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This is the personal website of David A Viniker MD FRCOG, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at Whipps Cross University Hospital, London - Specialist Interests - Reproductive Medicine including Infertility, PCOS, PMS, Menopause and HRT.

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