Urinary tract infections are common during pregnancy, probably because the enlarging uterus and hormones produced during pregnancy slow the flow of urine in the tubes that connect the kidneys to the bladder (ureters). When urine flow is slow, bacteria may not be flushed out of the urinary tract, increasing the risk of an infection.
Urinary tract infections increase the risk of the following:
Premature rupture of the membranes containing the fetus
Sometimes bacteria in the urine cause an infection in the bladder or kidneys that causes symptoms. But bacteria may infect the urine without causing symptoms of urinary tract infections, so doctors usually check the urine for bacteria, even in pregnant women without symptoms. If pregnant women have bacteria in the urine or a kidney infection, a urine sample is taken each month and tested.
Treatment of urinary tract infections consists of antibiotics. Doctors commonly use cephalexin, nitrofurantoin, or trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole. Nitrofurantoin and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole are used only during the 1st trimester when no other alternatives are available. Women who have had more than one bladder infection or have had a kidney infection need to take antibiotics throughout pregnancy to prevent subsequent urinary tract infections.
