Is it safe to use monistat 7 while pregnant

TARRYTOWN, N.Y. — Can you imagine smoking cigarettes while pregnant? While it would seem controversial today, some women of prior generations engaged in many behaviors that are now widely believed to be harmful for mom, baby or both during pregnancy, according to a new “Health Below the Bump” survey commissioned by Monistat.  The survey found the “rules” of pregnancy have changed dramatically over time, which leaves soon-to-be moms having to decode the latest news and advice to determine how to best manage their health.

One health decision that many pregnant women had to face was how to treat a yeast infection, which is as much as 10 times more likely to occur during pregnancy.  Shockingly, the survey revealed that 54% of women were not aware that there was a potential health risk when taking the leading prescription pill (fluconazole) to treat yeast infections during pregnancy and nearly half of these women actually took the pill to treat their yeast infections while pregnant.  According to 2019 Canadian study*, women who take any dose of fluconazole during pregnancy are at an increased risk of miscarriage and there may be a link between high levels of fluconazole and increased risk of heart defects in the fetus in the first trimester.

“With the concerns associated with fluconazole during pregnancy, I recommend Monistat 7 Day for vaginal yeast infections in pregnant women,” said Dr. Alyssa Dweck, an OB-GYN, author, women’s health expert and Monistat spokeswoman. “Seven-day topical treatments are the CDC’s only recommended form of yeast infection treatment in pregnant women, and Monistat relieves symptoms four times faster than the prescription oral pill. If you are pregnant, you should consult your healthcare professional prior to using any medication.”

With so much to worry about during pregnancy, it is not surprising that women are concerned about the choices that they have to make about their health.  More than 25% admitted that they received differing advice from other women and 38% noted that the information provided by their doctors was significantly different from what their mothers were told when pregnant.  Moreover, the study found that women are also more open to taking advice from strangers, with over 66% of women aged 18-24 getting information from online pregnancy forums.

“With new advancements in medical research each year, health guidelines for pregnancy are often changing and that can lead to confusion for mom, especially when decades of great moms before her likely weren’t privy to the latest guidance,” said, Dr. Dweck. “Of course, there are core guidelines that have stood the test of decades, but as the years progress, there are discernible generational shifts in pregnancy practices given the new information available.”

While doubt and confusion are often present during pregnancy, women should seek comfort in knowing there are knowledgeable experts and trusted products that can aid them in a safe and healthy pregnancy.

For more information on Monistat during pregnancy, visit monistat7.com.

This sheet is about exposure to miconazole or clotrimazole in pregnancy and while breastfeeding. This information should not take the place of medical care and advice from your healthcare providers.

What is miconazole?

Miconazole is a medication used to treat fungal infections. Miconazole is a cream used to treat skin and vaginal infections. Common trade names for miconazole include Monistat®, Micatin® and Mitrazole®.

What is clotrimazole?

Clotrimazole is also a medication used to treat fungal infections. Like miconazole, clotrimazole is available as a cream to treat skin and vaginal infections. Brand names of clotrimazole Femcare®, Lotrimin®, and Mycelex®.

I just found out I am pregnant. Should I stop using miconazole or clotrimazole?

Sometimes when people find out they are pregnant, they think about changing how they take their medication, or stopping their medication altogether. However, it is important to talk with your healthcare providers before making any changes to how you take this medication. Your healthcare providers can talk with you about the benefits of treating your condition and the risks of untreated illness during pregnancy.

What should I do if I think I have a vaginal yeast infection while pregnant?

People are more likely to get yeast infections during pregnancy than at other times. If you think you have a vaginal yeast infection, it is important to see your healthcare provider to be sure the infection is yeast before trying to treat it on your own. If you have another type of infection, you may need different treatment.

I use miconazole or clotrimazole. Can it make it harder for me to become pregnant?

Using miconazole or clotrimazole is not expected to make it harder to become pregnant.

Does using miconazole or clotrimazole increase the chance for miscarriage?

Miscarriage can occur in any pregnancy. One study found a small increased chance for miscarriage with miconazole and clotrimazole, but there were several problems with this study that could have affected the results. Other studies have not found that miconazole or clotrimazole increases the chance for miscarriage.

Does taking miconazole or clotrimazole increase the chance of birth defects?

Every pregnancy starts out with a 3-5% chance of having a birth defect. This is called the background risk. Topical (used on the skin) or vaginal medications enter the body in lower amounts than oral (pill) medications. This means less medication reaches the developing baby. Since topical and vaginal miconazole and clotrimazole are not well absorbed, they are unlikely to be a concern for the pregnancy. Most studies have shown that miconazole or clotrimazole at low doses (<400 mg/day) does not increase the chance of birth defects.

Does using miconazole or clotrimazole increase the chance of other pregnancy related problems?

Studies have not been done to see if miconazole or clotrimazole increases the chance for pregnancy-related problems such as preterm delivery (birth before week 37) or low birth weight (weighing less than 5 pounds, 8 ounces [2500 grams] at birth).

Does using miconazole or clotrimazole in pregnancy affect future behavior or learning for the child? 

Studies have not been done to see if miconazole or clotrimazole can cause behavior or learning issues for the child.

Breastfeeding while using miconazole or clotrimazole:

There are currently no studies looking at miconazole or clotrimazole use during breastfeeding. However, because only small amounts of the medication could pass into breastmilk when miconazole or clotrimazole is used topically, breastfeeding is not expected to be a concern. Miconazole and clotrimazole creams have been used directly on infants under the care of a healthcare provider to treat fungal infections. Talk to your healthcare provider about your breastfeeding questions.

If a male uses miconazole or clotrimazole, could it affect fertility (ability to get partner pregnant) or increase the chance of birth defects?

There are no studies looking at fertility or possible risks to a pregnancy when the father uses miconazole or clotrimazole. In general, exposures that fathers or sperm donors have are unlikely to increase the risks to a pregnancy.  For more information, please see the MotherToBaby fact sheet Paternal Exposures at https://mothertobaby.org/fact-sheets/paternal-exposures-pregnancy/.

Please click here for references.

OTIS/MotherToBaby encourages inclusive and person-centered language. While our name still contains a reference to mothers, we are updating our resources with more inclusive terms. Use of the term mother or maternal refers to a person who is pregnant. Use of the term father or paternal refers to a person who contributes sperm.

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