What may increase your risk for problems from a vaginal infection?
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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
Credits
| Author | Jan Nissl, RN, BS |
| Editor | Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA |
| Associate Editor | Tracy Landauer |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Anne C. Poinier, MD - Internal Medicine |
| Specialist Medical Reviewer | Deborah A. Penava, BA, MD, FRCSC, MPH - Obstetrics and Gynecology |
| Last Updated | November 3, 2007 |
| Last updated: | November 03, 2007 |
|---|---|
| Author: | Jan Nissl, RN, BS |
| Reviewed By: | Anne C. Poinier, MD - Internal Medicine, Deborah A. Penava, BA, MD, FRCSC, MPH - Obstetrics and Gynecology |
| Editors: | Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Tracy Landauer |
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