The frequency of Candida infections in pregnancy and their treatment with clotrimazole.

In an open study, 243 pregnant women were investigated for Candida infection of the vagina. Clinical diagnosis, confirmed by culture, showed that 163 (56%) were infected at some time during pregnancy. Infected patients were treated for 6 days with clotrimazole, I vaginal tablet per day plus cream applied externally. Treatment was considered as well accepted by all, and as successful in 84% of cases in the first trimester, 87% in the second, and 78% in the third trimester. There was no evidence of a relationship between Candida infection of the mother and the incidence of abortion or other disease of the newborn. It is suggested that early treatment of Candida infections of the vagina during pregnancy can greatly reduce the incidence of fungal infections in the newborn. In this series, only 3 of the 200 live births had a post-partum fungal infection: all were delivered by Caesarian section and the infection was not recorded until the third month in hospital.