Can vaginal itching cause infertility?

Vulvar pruritus can adversely affect a woman’s fertility and may even lead to infertility. There are numerous causes of vulvar pruritus, with relatively common ones including cervical polyps, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), chronic cervicitis, and vaginitis—particularly trichomonas vaginitis and candidal (fungal) vaginitis. These infections often produce large amounts of irritating vaginal discharge; when leucorrhea increases in volume and develops a foul odor, vulvar pruritus frequently occurs. Trichomonads and Candida organisms deplete glycogen within vaginal epithelial cells, thereby altering the vaginal pH. This change impairs sperm motility; some bacteria can even cause sperm agglutination, further reducing sperm vitality and making it more difficult for sperm to enter the uterine cavity—ultimately contributing to female infertility.