Efficacy of econazole ('Gyno-Pevaryl' 150) in vaginal candidosis during pregnancy

An open, multi-centre study was carried out in 117 pregnant women presenting with vaginal candidosis to assess the effectiveness of econazole in providing mycological control and symptom relief, and in preventing, as far as possible, the risk of contamination of the newborn: nearly 50% of the patients were in the last month of pregnancy. Patients received a single course of econazole given as 1 vaginal pessary (150 mg) on 3 consecutive days. Clinical and mycological assessments were made 1 week after the end of treatment and again at delivery, unless it happened before the first control visit. The infants were investigated at birth and 1 week afterwards. An 80% mycological cure rate was obtained and there was complete or marked relief of symptoms in the majority of patients after treatment. Twenty patients received further antimycotic treatment before delivery either because of failure (13) or relapse (7) after the single course of econazole. The relapse rate was 13.3%. No congenital abnormality was observed in the neonates and only 1 infant, born to a mother who was positive for Candida at the time of delivery, developed oral candidosis. Local tolerance of the vaginal pessaries was good and there were no reports of side-effects.