Candida and breastfeeding

Candida albicans is the most common occurring of the candida species found as a commensal on mucosal tissue of mother and child. As a pathogen it can cause a distressing fungal infection for both mother and baby, resulting in nipple and breast pain for the mother and feeding difficulties for the infant. Clinicians can often presume that these symptoms are due to C. albicans, which has resulted in an overuse of systemic antifungal therapy in many of these patients. It is therefore important to ensure that there is a clear diagnosis and that the problem can be treated appropriately.