You can always trust Stu to uncover studies like this:
Reed et al. (2003) did a study to look at what the causes are of reoccurring yeast infections. They started with a sample of 148 women with yeast infections, 33 of which had a reoccurance of the infection during the study. They then looked at what factors made it most likely for the yeast infection to have reoccurred.
What they discovered was that it didn't matter if their partner was harboring lots of yeast or not (disproving the theory that men act as a reservoir to reinfect women with yeast). There's already lots of the yeast (Candida spp.) all over us, it's presence on the woman's partner didn't really matter.
What they did find is that women who had cunnilingus performed on them were 2.94 times more likely to get a yeast infection again. The next most likely cause was if the woman masterbated using her own saliva (making her 2.66 times more likely to become infected again).
This study didn't look at nonoxynol-9, I hope cunnilingus isn't quite as bad as that...
Eating lots of bread, and not drinking milk, also increased the chances of yeast infection.
REFERENCES
Reed, B. D., P. Zazove, C. L. Pierson, D. W. Gorenflo, and J. Horrocks. 2003. Candida transmission and sexual behaviors as risks for a repeat episode of Candida vulvovaginitis. Journal of Women's Health 12(10): 979-989.
Reed, B. D., D. W. Gorenflo, B. W. Gillespie, C. L. Pierson, and P. Zazove. 2000. Sexual behaviors and other risk factors for Candida vulvovaginitis. Journal of Women's Health & Gender-Based Medicine 9(6): 645-655.
Posted by bluprnt at August 3, 2005 12:57 AMI've decided this study is bullshit. There are too many possible correlates with cunnilingus that weren't tested for.
There's nothing in the experimental design that removes the confounding factor of these women having different amounts of sex. It seems to me that it is very likely that women who have cunnilingus performed on them are going to be having sex much more frequently than the poor souls who aren't getting head. Because really, what's sex without a bit of tongue action?
It makes perfect sense that the more sex a woman has, the more likely she is to get a yeast infection. And that women who get regular head, and who know how to masterbate, are going to be having sex more often. This does not mean that cunnilingus or masterbation increases the likelihood of yeast infections.
So go ahead and eat your heart out, no damage done.
Posted by: Stu at August 9, 2005 12:48 AMThank you, Stu.
~ the women of the world.