Urinary Infections During Pregnancy
Most women have experienced the pain and discomfort of a urinary tract infection at least once in their lives. During pregnancy, the chances of contracting a UTI infection are greater. As if the discomfort of pregnancy weren’t enough, there is also the discomfiting bladder infection to deal with.
What is a UTI?
A UTI is also called a bladder infection. It is commonly caused by the E coli bacterium that travels up the urethra into the urinary tract. The most common cause is wiping yourself incorrectly. Typical symptoms of a UTI can be frequent urination, a flow of urine that is not steady and is painful or a burning sensation. You may feel pressure in your pelvis. Some women who have a bladder infection suffer from none of the above symptoms, some may suffer from all.
Pregnancy and Urinary Tract Infections
When a woman is pregnant it puts her at a higher risk for a urinary tract infection. Being pregnant raises the levels of progesterone hormones in your body. This is the hormone that is responsible for relaxing the muscles of the ureters causing them to stretch. The uterus may constrict the ureters as it grows, making it more difficult to urinate. The end result of all these changes to your body and especially to the bladder is bacteria-rich urine in the bladder where it continues to flourish and cause an infection before you are able to flush them out. Your health care practitioner will check the levels of bacteria in your urine, at the beginning of your pregnancy. To avoid UTIs during pregnancy, drink plenty of water and empty your bladder frequently. To find out how you can avoid a UTI and what steps you can take to ease your symptoms if you do develop an infection, check out Urinary tract infections during pregnancy - BabyCenter.
Filed under: Pregnancy Tests & Symptoms, Baby Showers
