There are a lot of women who are affected by urinary tract infection during pregnancy.
This is also known as UTI and it actually is a kind of bacterial inflammation of the urinary tract. Women who are expecting have higher chances of getting infected starting with week 6 and ending with week 24.
Why is UTI during pregnancy more common?
The problems of this kind are common because of the changes that occur connected to the urinary tract. Don’t forget that the uterus is located right on the bladder. When the uterus grows, it can block the way of the urine, which leads to an infection.
Signs and symptoms
In case you are interested in UTI when being pregnant it is good to know that you could have only a few or all of the symptoms. These include burning or pain during urination, and urge to urinate more frequently than normally, feeling of urgency during urination, mucus or blood in the urine and pain or cramps in the lower stomach.
The women affected by urinary tract infection during pregnancy may experience pain during sex, fever, chills, sweats, leaking urine, and they might have to wake up in the night to urinate. It is possible to notice a change in the amount of the urine: there might be more or less.
In case of UTI while being pregnant women may see urine that has a foul smell or strong smell or that it looks cloudy. Pressure, pain or tenderness is also possible around the bladder. If the bacteria spread to the kidneys women can experience chills, back pain, fever, vomiting and nausea.
How will the urinary tract infection during pregnancy affect the baby?
As it has been mentioned before, if the infection isn’t treated, it could cause a kidney infection. An infection of this kind can result in early labor and the baby might have a low birth weight. In case the infection is recognized and treated fast, there should be no harm done to the baby.
How is the urinary tract infection treated when being pregnant?
This is a kind of problem that can be treated with antibiotics. In the majority of the cases women have to take the antibiotics for 3-7 days. Antibiotics are safe for the baby if they aren’t taken for longer periods of time.
If you happen to notice in case of urinary tract infection during pregnancy chills, fever, nausea, pain in the lower stomach, vomiting, nausea or contractions or if you have been taking the medication for several days now and there is no change, you have to make sure that you will let your doctor know.
Preventing urinary tract infection while being pregnant
Although you might do everything right, it is still possible that you will be infected. However make sure that you drink a lot of unsweetened fluids, don’t have refined foods, have vitamin C and you should urinate as soon as you feel the need.
Having urinary tract infection during pregnancy isn’t something to be afraid of because it can be treated.
