- With Mayo Clinic gynecologist and obstetrician
Mary M. Gallenberg, M.D.
read biographyclose windowBiography of
Mary M. Gallenberg, M.D.
Mary M. Gallenberg, M.D.
Dr. Mary Gallenberg is board certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology and by the American Board of Internal Medicine in internal medicine and medical oncology.
An Antigo, Wis., native, Dr. Gallenberg is a consultant in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn., and an assistant professor at College of Medicine, Mayo Clinic.
Dr. Gallenberg has been with Mayo Clinic since 1990. She was on the Mayo Clinic Women's HealthSource editorial board and has been honored for excellence in teaching. She also won a Mayo Clinic Excellence Through Teamwork award.
Treatments and drugs (1)
- Yeast infection during pregnancy: Are over-the-counter treatments OK?
Lifestyle and home remedies (1)
- Sex during vaginal infection: Is it harmful?
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Question
Sex during vaginal infection: Is it harmful?
Is it harmful to have sex if I have a vaginal infection?
Answer
from Mary M. Gallenberg, M.D.
That depends on the cause of your vaginal infection. Medically speaking, it's OK to have sex when you have a vaginal infection (vaginitis) if the cause isn't sexually transmitted. But what it really comes down to is a matter of your comfort — intercourse might be quite uncomfortable or even painful if you have an active vaginal infection.
The most common causes of vaginal infection are:
- Yeast infection (candidiasis)
- Bacterial vaginosis
- Trichomoniasis
Yeast infections and bacterial vaginosis aren't sexually transmitted. Avoiding intercourse won't help your infection clear any sooner. However, trichomoniasis is usually sexually transmitted. In that case, it's a good idea to avoid intercourse until you and your partner have completed treatment and your symptoms have cleared to minimize your risk of reinfection.
Next questionYeast infection during pregnancy: Are over-the-counter treatments OK?
- Mazdisnian F. Benign disorders of the vagina and vulva. In: DeCherney AH, et al. Current Diagnosis and Treatment: Obstetrics and Gynecology. 10th ed. New York, N.Y.:The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.; 2007. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aid=2388664. Accessed March 21, 2011.
- Bacterial vaginosis. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/std/bv/STDFact-Bacterial-Vaginosis.htm. Accessed March 21, 2011.
- Sobel JD. Trichomonas vaginalis. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed March 21, 2011.
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