What is the cause of chronic yeast infection? (My wife, an RN, basically wrote this article for you.) This is important to know, especially for women, because yeast infections are a very common in women. Turns out that about 70% of women will get a yeast infection at least once in their lifetimes. Some of these women will get recurring yeast infections. Oh joy!

Well, to begin with, there is no one cause of yeast infection. There are many causes and they range from simple everyday stress to hormonal changes to transmittal through sexual contact of one sort or another.

So since there is no one cause of yeast infection that can be nailed down as "the cause" to be pinpointed in order to avoid getting a yeast infection, it's best if you can be aware of the most common causes. In the long run this can help you to avoid getting a yeast infection--and at the very least--to help you avoid repeat episodes.

One of causes of yeast infection is the result of taking antibiotics. Taking antibiotics without a solid reason is never a good idea, and this only adds another reason to avoid antibiotics unless absolutely necessary. The reason that antibiotic intake makes your body prone to yeast infections is because they are designed to kill off any bad bacteria in your body.

The problem is that antibiotics can also kill off some of the good bacteria. This causes an imbalance in your body and makes the absence of the good bacteria open the door to invading yeast producing bacteria. This imbalance is the reason why doctors have been lately trying to limit the prescribing of antibiotics except for rare cases.

Another cause of yeast infection is being stressed out. Stress has been linked to all sorts of bad things and yeast infection seems to be another. A stressful lifestyle can and will change your hormones and this can sometimes result in a yeast infection. Of course, different people react to stress differently; a lifestyle that's considered stressful to one person may be not stressful at all to another person.

Hormonal changes in women--stress related or not--are a prime factor in the cause of yeast infection of pregnant or lactating women, to include women who are menopausal. Before and after menstruation cycles causes changes to a woman's hormones, so this also provides a chance for yeast infection.

There are other significant causes of yeast infection in women. These include the use of scented feminine hygiene products, feminine sprays, douches, and the regular use of spermicides--all which upset the delicate balance of natural bacteria in the vagina. This opens the door for the yeast bacteria to take hold.

The other cause of yeast infection that is clothing. While often overlooked, this includes the use of tight-fitting items such as pantyhose, tight jeans and synthetic fiber undergarments. These tight fitting clothes don't allow the vagina to get yeast bacteria-stopping air. It seems that clothing made from man made fibers (synthetic fibers) will also limit the air that is needed to keep the "bad" bacteria away. This is why underwear made from 100% cotton is better from a health standpoint than synthetic fibers.

Yeast infections are not limited to women. For men, the most common cause of yeast infection is through sexual intercourse with a woman affected with a yeast infection. This includes oral sex as well as vaginal sex. The symptoms of a yeast infection for a man will be slightly different, however. In any case, knowing the causes of chronic yeast infections are the best defense against repeat infections.