Fluconazole for vaginal thrush
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Fluconazole is not often used in pregnancy, as thrush can usually be treated with creams and pessaries instead.
What is it?
Fluconazole (Diflucan®) is an antifungal medicine used to treat vaginal thrush. It is given as a single tablet containing 150mg fluconazole.
Benefits
What are the benefits of taking fluconazole in pregnancy?
Fluconazole treats the unpleasant symptoms of vaginal thrush, which is a common pregnancy problem.
Risks
Are there any risks of taking fluconazole during pregnancy?
Some studies have suggested that miscarriage may be more common following fluconazole use in early pregnancy. It has also been suggested that babies exposed to fluconazole might have a slightly higher chance of having rare heart defects. These findings need to be confirmed with further research, especially as these outcomes might also be linked to underlying health conditions in women who need to take fluconazole. Fluconazole use in later pregnancy cannot cause these problems as the risk of miscarriage has passed by 20 weeks, and the baby’s heart is fully developed by 12 weeks.
There are no concerns that fluconazole use in pregnancy affects the chances of stillbirth, preterm delivery, or low infant birth weight.
Alternatives
Are there any alternatives to taking fluconazole?
Yes. Other medicines, including clotrimazole, are very effective and are used in the form of creams or pessaries, meaning that only very small amounts of the medicines reach the baby. Women are generally only prescribed fluconazole in pregnancy when these treatments have not worked.
No treatment
What if I prefer not to take medicines to treat thrush during pregnancy?
Thrush can be very unpleasant and can be safely treated in pregnancy, but it is not thought to pose a serious health risk to the mother or baby if untreated.
Your doctor will be happy to talk to you about any concerns that you might have when thinking about using a medicine in pregnancy.
Will my baby need extra monitoring?
All pregnant women in the UK should be offered a detailed anomaly scan at around 20 weeks of pregnancy as part of their routine antenatal care. No extra monitoring for major birth defects is required following fluconazole use in pregnancy.
Who can I talk to if I have questions?
If you have any questions regarding the information in this leaflet, please discuss them with your health care provider. They can access more detailed medical and scientific information from www.uktis.org.