Hello, and I hope I can help you today.
During pregnancy, the hormones of your body change, even as early as five weeks.
The hormonal changes of pregnancy make the vagina and surrounding skin more susceptible to candida, or
yeast infections. Frequently these infections can cause itching of the skin around and inside the vagina, and even on the perineum and anus.
There over-the-counter creams that may be purchased in a pharmacy that are designed to treat yeast infections of the skin. The active ingredient should have the word -azole at the end as this indicates that it is an antifungal product. Examples of these are
clotrimazole,
miconazole, and
terconazole. These products can all be used externally on your skin safely during pregnancy.
When you see your
prenatal care provider for the first time, if you are still experiencing these symptoms they can perform a vaginal examination and prescribe a different treatment if necessary.
In the meantime, try very hard not to scratch the area and where loose fitting, cotton undergarments to sleep and that will not constrict airflow around your perineum.
I hope that I was able to adequately answer your question today, and that my advice was helpful.
Best wishes, Dr. Brown