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Urinary Tract Infections During PregnancyWhen you’re pregnant, your body goes under dramatic changes to help support your pregnancy. You have an elevated level of hormones; your blood flow increases to twice its normal level; and your immune system weakens as a way to prevent your body from rejecting the developing baby. All of these changes make you more susceptible to infections, such as urinary tract infections (UTIs). Like its name suggests, UTIs are a bacterial infection in your urinary tract system, which is made up of your two kidneys, bladder, two ureters (muscular tubes that connect the kidneys and bladder), and uretha (tube that carries urine from the bladder to outside the body). An infection can occur anywhere in the urinary tract, but it is more common in the urethra and bladder. However, sometimes it can affect the ureters and kidney. So how does the bacteria get into your system? After all, urine is usually sterile and free of bacteria, viruses, and fungi. The bacterial infection that causes urinary tract infections in pregnancy often occurs when bacteria clings to the opening of your uretha and starts to multiply. Poor bathroom hygiene (such as wiping from back to front after having a bowel movement), sexual intercourse, and the use of spermicides can increase your risk of introducing bacteria into your uretha. Once the bacteria are introduced into your body, your urinary tract can often flush these invaders out when you urinate. Your immune system, even during pregnancy, also prevents infection. However, despite your body’s safeguards, infection can still occur if the bacteria are able to take hold and multiply. There are three main types of urinary tract infections:
Pregnant women are at an even higher risk for a urinary tract infection, due to the changes in their immune system during pregnancy. In fact, UTIs affect 2 to 8 percent of all pregnant women. There are several reasons why pregnancy and urinary tract infections can go hand-in-hand. During pregnancy, it is very common for your ureters to dilate (or expand) and for ureter muscles to weaken. This can slow down the flow of your urine and make it easier for bacteria to multiply and grow. Your bladder muscles also weaken during pregnancy, yet your bladder can hold more urine. When urine sits for too long in your bladder, bacteria can multiply and a UTI can occur. Sometimes, however, due to weak bladder muscles, urine can flow backwards into the ureters and up to the kidneys. All these changes, paired with your suppressed immune system function and the weight of your growing uterus shifting the position of your urinary tract, can make it easier for bacteria to grow and cause urinary tract infections during pregnancy. Because pregnant women are at higher risk for developing UTIs, doctors will periodically test your urine throughout your pregnancy. Don’t be surprised if you have to give a urine sample at every prenatal visit. Because some of the signs of a urinary tract infection may be similar to early pregnancy symptoms, many pregnant women don’t even know they have an infection until their prenatal visits. Common symptoms of a UTI include:
To avoid any pregnancy complications, you will want to prevent urinary tract infections during pregnancy. You should:
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