It is unlikely that today's lower dose birth control pills cause yeast infections.

What Is a Yeast Infection?

Each and every corner of the human body is a complex organism. The fungus Candida albicans is a normal, healthy presence in a woman's vagina, there to balance out other germs and microorganisms. But if a woman becomes pregnant, is obese, has diabetes or is taking certain antibiotics, the relative level of the fungus can increase, resulting in a yeast infection.

Next to Candida albicans, the second most common cause of female yeast infections is a newer and more resistant fungus strain known as Candida glabatra. Because this form of fungus can mutate rapidly at the chromosome level, it is sometimes resistant to high dosages of treatment medication.

Early Birth Control Pills Linked to Yeast Infections

While the earliest forms of the birth control pill were unscientifically linked to a higher likelihood of yeast infection, today's sophisticated versions of the contraceptive have a level of hormone doses that is much smaller than its predecessors. As a result, the medical community has concluded that the likelihood of birth control pills causing a yeast infection is next to nil.

What Causes Yeast Infections?

In fact, there is a higher chance of a woman contracting a yeast infection from the extended wear of wet clothing (swim wear, workout outfits) and tight clothing than there is from the use of birth control pills. In about 10% of the cases where a woman with a yeast infection is heterosexually active, the infection is passed on to her male partner(s). However, even when the male partner(s) is effectively treated, it does not seem to reduce the probability of the woman in question experiencing a recurrence of the yeast infection. Although the prevention of yeast infections is related to a variety of factors, some medical journals have detailed evidence that a daily diet that includes eight ounces of yogurt containing lactobacillus acidophilus can reduce the risk of a yeast infection recurrence by as much as three times.