All vaginas have some yeast in it. In fact, there is some yeast anywhere on your body that it's moist and hot (mouth is the other most common place for yeast to hang out). A person's immune system combats it, and there is a nice little area for your vagina.

A vaginal yeast infection happens when there is more yeast than normal (can be aggravated by such things as diet and sexual activity) or when the bacteria present in the vagina has been decreased (happens with antibiotics used to treat other things).

Things like oral contraceptives sometimes kill those bacterias/up the level of yeast, scented washes/douches can up the level of having more yeast, if you have type 1 diabetes you will have more yeast infections, and sex with a condom can sometimes give more yeast infections (this doesn't always happen though).

So...it's just having more yeast in your vagina than you should.

Hi, I just wanted to give you some more insight on yeast infections. For most women, yeast is NOT a problem. A woman will get a yeast infection and simply go to the store and buy some monistat..and poof....that yeast is gone. But then you have women like me that fall in that DREADED 5 % category. In this category, you get a yeast infection, and its very hard to rid of it. My yeast infection (vagina) originated from taking antibiotics for a sinus infection. I am not sexually active, not diabetic, and do not have hiv. My life has been hell dealing and coping with this yeast infection. I have top notch insurance and my gynecolgists/doctors who make big bucks are baffled. I think these doctors better study a lil' harder about this yeast and take it more seriously. I dont think that doctors/gyno's really understand this whole yeast infection thing. I'm scared that if I ever found someone and wanted to get married, that I wont be able to make a child, because of this disgusting yeast.