What are the symptoms of vaginal thrush?
Thrush is the second most common cause of a vaginal discharge. (The most common cause of vaginal discharge is bacterial vaginosis.) The discharge is usually creamy white, but is sometimes watery. It can cause itch, redness, discomfort, or pain around the outside of the vagina. Sometimes symptoms are minor and clear up on their own. Often symptoms can be quite irritating and will not go without treatment. Thrush does not damage the vagina, and it does not spread to damage the uterus (womb). If you are pregnant it will not harm your baby. Who gets vaginal thrush? More than half of all women have at least one bout of thrush in their life. In most cases it develops ‘out of the blue’ for no apparent reason. However, certain factors can make thrush more likely to develop. The vagina contains mucus and some harmless bacteria which help to defend the vagina from Candida (and other germs). These natural defences may be altered or upset by certain situations. For example: when you are pregnant,
