Why do pregnant women get urinary tract infections?

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Urinary tract infection during pregnancy usually occurs in the 4th month of pregnancy with manifestations such as painful urination, frequent urination, fever and abdominal pain. The disease will progress seriously if not detected and treated in time, leading to many dangerous complications such as premature birth, miscarriage, fetal infection...

1. What is UTI during pregnancy?

Urinary tract infection is a common disease in women, especially women during pregnancy, whose resistance is weakened, creating opportunities for bacteria from the skin, vagina or rectum to enter the urinary tract. infection status.
Urinary tract infections during pregnancy can occur in many different locations of the urinary tract such as kidneys, ureters, and urethral tubes, and sometimes the disease progresses silently and without many external symptoms. In addition, it leads to dangerous complications for pregnant women such as premature birth, miscarriage, neonatal infection ...
Urinary tract infections during pregnancy include some types of infections as follows:
Infections with no symptoms Symptoms: Bacteria have grown and grown in the urethra, but the patient has not had clear symptoms. Cystitis: Bacteria grow widely and have some specific symptoms. Acute pyelonephritis - pyelonephritis: As the disease progresses and symptoms become more pronounced, pregnant women must go to the hospital for treatment immediately to avoid dangerous complications for mother and baby.

2. Why do pregnant women often get urinary tract infections?

There are many different reasons why pregnant women are more prone to urinary tract infections than the general population, in which:
The resistance of pregnant women is often weaker than normal, creating favorable conditions. Beneficial for bacteria and microorganisms to grow and cause disease During pregnancy, due to the pressure of the uterus on the bladder, it is difficult for the pregnant woman's urine in the bladder to empty, the remaining urine is the is a source of infection when reflux from the bladder to the urethra is an environment for bacteria to grow. During pregnancy, pregnancy hormones will relax the muscle tone of the ureter, making the flow of urine slower than normal and the time it takes to pass through the urinary tract, giving bacteria time to grow. multiply and cause disease.

3. Symptoms of UTI during pregnancy

Urinary tract infection during pregnancy usually occurs in the 4th month of pregnancy with unclear manifestations and many people often confuse it with changes due to pregnancy. Symptoms of UTI during pregnancy can vary from person to person, but in general, there are symptoms as follows:
Bladder infection: Pregnant women feel pain, burning when urinating or having sex. having sex, feeling the urge to urinate often even though there is little or no urine in the bladder, cloudy or sometimes bloody urine when urinating, urine has an unpleasant odor, you feel lower abdominal pain, possibly accompanied by mild fever.
Kidney infection : Severe fever with chills, shaking or sweating, pain in many places such as low back, one or both ribs, abdominal pain, nausea or vomiting. When you urinate, you may see blood or pus in your urine.

4. How to treat UTI during pregnancy?

Pregnant women with mild urinary tract infections such as urinary tract infections, cystitis will be prescribed home treatment with antibiotics that are less harmful to mother and baby, after pregnancy treatment. Women must have their urine tested again to evaluate the condition of the disease to avoid the serious progression of the disease, which is dangerous for the pregnant woman.
For severe cases of UTI during pregnancy such as nephritis, acute pyelonephritis... pregnant women need to actively go to the hospital to coordinate treatment according to the doctor's regimen. Pregnant women will be closely monitored and conduct necessary tests for the treatment process as well as obstetric care such as fetal check-ups, fetal heart monitoring. ..
Besides treatment, the prevention of UTIs during pregnancy is a necessary factor that every pregnant woman should follow to avoid contracting this disease. Pregnant women can reduce the risk of UTIs in the following ways:
Drink enough water from 1.5 to 2 liters a day to dilute the urine, contribute to eliminating bacteria in the urine. hold urine, you should go when you feel sad and make sure your urine is completely clean. You should urinate before and after sex. Hygiene after urinating such as gently blotting dry with paper towels, using water to wash... Hygiene Proper vaginal discharge, avoid bringing bacteria from the anus back to the vagina. Use cotton underwear, don't wear tight pants, don't soak in the bath for too long and often... Limit wearing shoes high heels Pregnant women if they have vaginal infections, they should treat them completely to avoid spreading the infection to other areas. Pregnant women should have their urine tested periodically to detect infections early, if any.

To protect the health of pregnant women and their babies during pregnancy, Vinmec International General Hospital provides a package of maternity services as a solution to help pregnant women feel secure because of the companionship of the medical team. doctor throughout pregnancy. When choosing Maternity Package, pregnant women can:
The pregnancy process is monitored by a team of highly qualified doctors Regular check-ups, early detection of abnormalities The package pregnancy helps to facilitate convenient for the birthing process Newborns get comprehensive care

Please dial HOTLINE for more information or register for an appointment HERE. Download MyVinmec app to make appointments faster and to manage your bookings easily.