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Throughout your pregnancy, it is important to be on the look out for bladder infections, or urinary tract infections (UTIs). These bladder infections are quite common during pregnancy, affecting between 2 and 7 percent of all pregnant women.
Pregnant women are at a higher risk for urinary tract infections for several reasons. First, the high levels of progesterone in your body may relax the muscle tone of your ureters – the muscular tubes that connect to the lower end of your bladder and the upper end of your kidneys. This hormonal reaction can cause your ureters to dilate, slowing down the flow of urine.
Secondly, as your uterus continues to grow in size during pregnancy, the added weight can compress your ureters, making it hard for urine to flow through them. Pregnancy also relaxes your bladder, making it prone to reflux – the bladder wall doesn't close completely when the bladder contracts, causing urine to flow back into your ureters.
Each of these changes can result in bacteria multiplying and infecting your bladder and ureters. This impurity can even lead to a kidney infection. You should get treated as soon as possible if you contract a UTI during pregnancy to avoid potential complications.
During pregnancy, you may have a urinary tract infection and not even know. The symptoms vary from pregnant woman to pregnant woman. Common signs of a UTI include:
- A frequent or uncontrollable urge to pass urine
- Pelvic pressure or lower abdominal pain
- Pain, discomfort, and a burning sensation when you urinate
- Discomfort during sexual intercourse
- Urine that is foul smelling, or urine that looks cloudy
- Blood in your urine
Because the frequent urge to urinate is often a regular pregnancy symptom, you may not even know that you have a urinary tract infection until your urine is tested at a regular prenatal visit. Not all women with urinary tract infections experience pain or stinging when they urinate, and not all women notice blood in their urine.
Your urine will be taken and tested at every prenatal visit. In the event that you have a UTI, you will be treated before any harm can be done to your developing baby. (When left untreated, UTIs may increase your risk of going into labor before 37 weeks pregnant, or giving birth to a low birth weight baby). Typically, pregnant women are given antibiotics to help fight any urinary tract infections.
When you're expecting a baby, you can help prevent urinary tract infections with the following measures:
- Keep yourself well hydrated. Drinking eight or more glasses of water a day may help flush out any bacteria in your urinary tract. Drinking cranberry juice can also be useful in fighting a bladder infection.
| | Helpful Tip:
Always call your doctor if you think you may have a urinary tract infection. If you start to experience any fevers, chills, nausea, or vomiting, contact your healthcare provider immediately. These symptoms can be a sign of a possible kidney infection, which lead you to be hospitalized. | | |
- When you feel the urge, go right away. Don't hold it in! Always completely empty your bladder each time you urinate. Sometimes urination can push the bacteria from your bladder before it can do too much damage.
- After you use the bathroom, wipe from the front to the back. Wiping in the opposite way (back to front) after a bowel movement can cause germs and bacteria to enter your urethra and lead to bladder infections and UTIs.
- You should urinate before you have sex, and immediately afterwards. In addition, you will want to use a water-based lubricant to use during intercourse.
- During pregnancy, you will want to wear cotton underwear. Avoid wearing any tight underpants or tight pants – this can trap in moisture and lead to urinary tract infections.
- You will want to avoid any douching or using strong soaps and feminine deodorant sprays "down there." All of these products can irritate your genital area and urethra, which makes it easier for bacteria to build up.
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