What may increase your risk for problems from a vaginal infection?
Many conditions, lifestyle choices, medicines, and diseases interfere with your ability to heal or fight infection. You may be at risk for a more serious problem from your symptoms if you have any of the following. Be sure to tell your doctor.
Conditions
- Are or think you might be pregnant
- Are menopausal or have gone through menopause
- Exposure to a sexually transmitted disease (STD)
- History of a sexually transmitted disease (STD)
- History of:
- Abnormal Pap smear
- Cervicitis
- Pelvic inflammatory disease
- Frequent vaginal infections
- Obesity
- Previous surgery to vaginal or pelvic area
Lifestyle choices
- Alcohol abuse or withdrawal
- Douching or the use feminine hygiene products
- Drug abuse or withdrawal
- Exposure to a sexually transmitted disease (STD)
- Have multiple sex partners or high-risk sex partners
- Smoking or other tobacco use
Medicines
- Antibiotics, such as penicillin or sulfa
- Birth control pills (oral contraceptives)
- Corticosteroids, such as prednisone
- Medicines to prevent organ transplant rejection
- Medicines used to treat cancer (chemotherapy)
- Radiation therapy
Diseases
- Cancer
- Diabetes
- Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection
- Kidney disease
- Liver disease
- Syphilis
| Author: | Jan Nissl, RN, BS | Last Updated: November 3, 2007 |
| Medical Review: | Anne C. Poinier, MD - Internal Medicine Deborah A. Penava, BA, MD, FRCSC, MPH - Obstetrics and Gynecology | |
 | ||
| |