Bacteria in the urine during pregnancy
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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Bacteria in the urine during pregnancy is a signal of the body about pathological processes that require treatment and medical attention. Consider the main causes of bacteria in the urine, the methods of diagnosis, symptomatology and methods of treatment.
During pregnancy, a woman has to take a lot of tests that can monitor the health of the future mother and her baby. Urinalysis is considered one of the most important. Bacteria in the urine occur very often, but there is no clear explanation for this phenomenon. Therefore, there is such a thing as bacteriuria of pregnant women.
The presence of bacteria may indicate inflammation in the kidneys. It can be cystitis, pyelonephritis and other diseases, the risk of which increases during pregnancy. But, neither for the future mother, nor for her future child such a state does not bring benefits. And in some cases it can lead to pathological consequences. A special danger arises with asymptomatic bacteriuria, in this case the disease proceeds without any manifestations.
Many doctors argue that the bacteria in the urine found in the period of gestation, indicate a high risk of premature birth. Very often, urine is found in the urine: E. Coli in 80% of cases, klebsiella, proteus, streptococci, enterobacter, fecal enterococcus, staphylococcus and others. Each of the cases requires treatment and medical care.
[Causes of bacteria in the urine during pregnancy
The causes of bacteria in the urine during pregnancy are very diverse. Constantly increasing uterus presses on the kidneys, disrupts their normal work, leads to the appearance of harmful microorganisms. Bacteria can appear due to hormonal changes in the body of a woman and with physiological characteristics: a short urethra, the ureter is located close to the rectum.
Bacteria appear in women who have sex with many partners who do not support personal hygiene at the proper level. In some cases, bacteriuria occurs with ZPP, diabetes, chronic lesions of the body and pathologies of the urinary system. Sometimes a weakened immune system and caries lead to the appearance of bacteria in the urine.
Bacteria in the urine are of two kinds: true bacteriuria occurs when the bacteria reproduce themselves and live in the urine. With false bacteriuria, bacteria enter the urine from distant foci of infection through the blood. The increased content of harmful microorganisms is accompanied by clinical manifestations, but in some cases they do not cause incidental symptoms.
Bacteria occur in chronic diseases, which recur and aggravate during pregnancy, consider some of them:
Inflammation of the walls of the bladder, is the most common urological lesion, both infectious and infectious. Infectious cystitis occurs due to opportunistic microflora. Noninfectious cystitis appears with weakened immunity, hypothermia, intestinal dysbiosis, overfatigue. In some cases, vaginal dysbiosis and irritation of the bladder with chemicals lead to the appearance of bacteria in the urine.
If before pregnancy the woman had manifestations of cystitis, then the bacteria found in the urine testify to his relapse. The symptomatology of the disease manifests itself as a frequent urge to urinate, which is very painful. The woman has pulling pains in the lower abdomen, blood in the urine and elevated body temperature. If you have these symptoms, you need to seek medical help.
Inflammatory process in the renal pelvis. E. Coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus, Candida fungi, Pseudomonas aeruginosa are the causes of the disease. Infectious focus - any inflammatory-purulent process. Pyelonephritis can be primary - occurs at the first sign of pregnancy and secondary - manifests itself before pregnancy and exacerbated by hormonal changes.
Bacteria in the urine caused by inflammation of the kidneys appear due to the growth of the uterus, which pushes out the neighboring internal organs. When the disease worsens, women have acute pain in the lumbar region, chills, rezi with urination, signs of intoxication. Pyelonephritis requires compulsory treatment, since the disease is dangerous for the future mother and her baby.
In addition to the above reasons, there are also risk groups. So, problems with teeth can lead to bacteria in the urine, irregular hygiene, diabetes mellitus, chronic genitourinary diseases, urinary tract diseases and sexually transmitted diseases are the main risk factors and causes of bacteriuria.
- Urethritis
Bacterial inflammatory disease that affects the walls of the urethra. The disease is very common and most often affects pregnant women, causing bacteria in the urine. Bacterial urethritis arises from the ingress of harmful microorganisms into the urethra (E. Coli, enterococci, staphylococci and streptococci). If a pregnant woman has chlamydia, then this is another cause of urethritis, which can lead to amniotic fluid and embryo damage.
The specificity of urethritis is that the pathogens are constantly on the mucous membranes of the urinary tract. Therefore, the task of the future mother and her doctor to identify predisposing factors and eliminate them. Disease and bacteria in the urine on its background, can appear with injuries and narrowing of the urethra, catheterization of the bladder and with cystoscopy. The bacterial form of the disease can be caused by specific pathogenic microorganisms that destroy the local defense of the woman's body.
Symptoms of bacteria in the urine during pregnancy
Symptoms of bacteria in the urine during pregnancy depend on the cause of the disease. Bacteriuria appears in 10% of pregnant women, the danger is that it can be asymptomatic. Against the backdrop of bacteria in the urine, the woman manifests nephrolithiasis and ureter dilatation. Very often, this symptomatology occurs in the third trimester of pregnancy. Bacteria can cause the birth of a child with low weight, miscarriage and premature birth.
When bacteria show a different harmful microflora: intestinal and pseudomonas aeruginosa, proteus, streptococci, staphylococci and other microorganisms. Very often, bacteria appear with inflammatory diseases of the kidneys and urinary system, infectious lesions of the body. Malicious microorganisms can enter the urinary tract and kidneys by hematogenesis.
Symptoms of bacteria in the urine during pregnancy are similar to manifestations of cystitis and pyelonephritis. The woman has a fever, there are frequent and painful urge to urinate, urine with sediment and cloudy. If you have this symptom, you need to seek medical help, determine the cause of discomfort and eliminate it.
If the bacteria in the urine arose due to urethritis, the woman appears purulent and mucopurulent discharge from the urethra, rezi and discomfort when urinating. In acute inflammation of the urethra, bacteria in the urine become chronic. Bacteria can hide in the Bartholin glands, which are in the vestibule of the vagina. With a decrease in the protective properties of the immune system, bacteria become more active and cause painful symptoms and can be detected in urine analysis.
Diagnosis of bacteria in the urine during pregnancy
Diagnosis of bacteria in the urine during pregnancy is carried out every month, as the future mother regularly tests. This allows you to maintain the health of women and her future baby. For diagnostics use a reduction glucose test, a nitrite Griss test and other methods.
Since the diagnosis is carried out in a polyclinic, doctors conduct chemical tests that give quick results. Bacteriological methods determine the number of colonies of microbes and the degree of bacteriuria. If bacteriuria arose against the background of colonization of the periurethral area that appeared before pregnancy, the disease is considered as a risk factor for acute pyelonephritis.
Consider the main stages of diagnosis of bacteria in the urine during pregnancy:
- Instrumental and laboratory studies - ultrasound of the kidneys, blood and urine tests, excretory and review urography, dopplerometry of kidney vessels, screening tests.
- Differential diagnosis - doctors conduct a full diagnosis of the body of a pregnant woman in order to determine the diseases that caused bacteria in the urine and identify asymptomatic bacteriuria.
In addition to diagnostic methods, a woman should be consulted by a nephrologist, therapist, urologist and gynecologist. This will provide a complete picture of the causes of the disease and will allow for an effective treatment plan.
Treatment of bacteria in the urine during pregnancy
The treatment of bacteria in the urine during pregnancy depends on the results of the diagnosis. But every future mother must be treated. There are several methods of treatment, consider the main ones:
- Non-drug treatment
Pregnant women recommend foods and drinks that lower the pH of urine. It is also recommended to increase the excretion of urine.
- Medication
This type of treatment is carried out with both obvious and asymptomatic bacteriuria. A woman is prescribed a course of treatment for 1-3 weeks with cephalosporins, antimicrobial agents and ampicillin. This course of treatment is explained by the fact that in pregnancy, a single dose of drugs is not enough. All drugs are selected empirically. Mandatory antibacterial therapy with subsequent monthly bacteriological studies of urine. A woman may receive maintenance therapy before the end of pregnancy and within 14 days of the postpartum process. This will help prevent recurrence of bacteriuria.
The peculiarity of treatment depends on complications during pregnancy. Consider the complications of gestational trimester:
- Bacteria in the urine found in the first trimester can cause interruption of pregnancy. For therapeutic purposes, standard therapy is used.
- With bacteriuria in the second and third trimesters, a woman is onco-osmotherapy to maintain pregnancy. If the bacteria become a threat of premature birth, the tocol is given a tocolytic therapy.
If the bacteria in the urine are due to urethritis, the woman is given antibacterial therapy and uroantiseptics. Highly effective is the drug Monural, which can be taken only if the therapeutic benefit to the mother is more important than the possible risk to the fetus. Urethritis and bacteria in the urine are treated with Azithromycin, Doxycycline, Phytolysin or Kanefron. The drug is selected by the attending physician and its administration is strictly controlled.
In many cases, bacteria in the urine are determined before pregnancy. The incidence of this disease affects the state of the urinary tract and sphincter mechanism of the bladder. In the treatment of bacteriuria in early pregnancy, 80% of cases can cure the disease without consequences for the mother and child, in 5-7% of cases, bacteria lead to miscarriages and prematurity.
Preventing bacteria in the urine during pregnancy
Prevention of bacteria in the urine during pregnancy - a method that can prevent the development of the disease and protect the body of the future mother. Taking care of one's health and the health of the future child is the first priority for every woman. To prevent bacteriuria, a future mother needs:
- Regularly take urine for tests, for the validity of the results, use only sterile containers. Before taking the tests, it is forbidden to drink alcohol, sharp and salty foods. Urine needs to be collected after washing, in the morning. Please note that from the time of collection of urine to laboratory examination should take no more than 2 hours, as the composition of urine varies.
- The pregnant woman should observe the hygiene of the genitals and refuse from synthetic underwear. Synthetic underwear provokes the growth of pathogenic microorganisms, contributes to the development of candidiasis and the appearance of bacteria in the urine of an ascending type.
- Compliance with the doctor's recommendations, regular examinations and taking prescribed medications, will protect against pathological changes during pregnancy.
- Prevention of urethritis, which caused urinary bacteria, should begin with the observance of hygiene rules and a healthy lifestyle. Regular examinations at the gynecologist and an orderly sex life are the best methods of prevention.
According to medical statistics, bacteria in the urine in pregnancy reveal every fifth woman. Timely diagnosis and treatment - can successfully cure bacteriuria.
Prognosis of bacteria in the urine during pregnancy
The prognosis of bacteria in the urine during pregnancy depends on when the pathology was discovered. If the bacteria are detected in the early stages, the prognosis is favorable, since the doctors prescribe a treatment that prevents the threat of miscarriage. With bacteriuria in the last months of pregnancy, the prognosis depends on the type of bacterial damage and its causes.
If the bacteria appeared due to exacerbation of chronic diseases or physiological characteristics of the organism, the future mother is prescribed maintenance therapy and the prognosis of bacteria in the urine is favorable. But if a woman does not treat bacteriuria, then this can lead to serious consequences. With bacteria and urethritis, the prognosis depends on early diagnosis and treatment. The earlier the disease is detected, the better the prognosis, even with purulent and gonorrheic urethritis.
Bacteria in the urine during pregnancy - this is a problem that requires special attention and treatment. Timely diagnosis and therapy is the guarantee of the health of the future mother and her child.