How To Cure Uti When Pregnant

Will A Uti Go Away On Its Own

As with any infection, an otherwise healthy woman’s body is technically equipped to fight and resolve a UTI on its own. An estimated 25-42% of UTIs resolve without conventional treatment.

The problem arises when the infection becomes too rampant for the immune system to handle. If immunity is compromised in any way, or if the infection has been building for a while, then it’s time to bring in some extra help to fight those bad bacteria.

The trouble is, antibiotic-resistant UTIs are increasing. As the New York Times reported, one in three simple UTIs is now considered resistant to one of the most common antibiotics used to treat them, Bactrim. One in five is considered resistant to other commonly prescribed antibiotics.

When Is My Urine Checked During Pregnancy

• You should usually have your urine tested early in pregnancy. Your midwife may ask you to bring a sample in a container or sample bottle. Treatment is advised if any germs are found – even if you have no symptoms. If bacteria are found, you should have regular routine urine tests throughout the pregnancy.
• You will normally be asked to bring a urine sample at each of your antenatal checks. How often this is depends on how your pregnancy is progressing and whether you have any problems or complications.
• You should also have your urine tested if you develop symptoms of bladder infection or kidney infection at any stage during pregnancy.

What Is A Urine Infection And What Are The Symptoms

A urine infection is caused by germs which get into your urine. Usually the germs have come from your skin, and travelled up the tubes of the urinary system. The symptoms may depend on how far up your system the germs have travelled. The germs may cause:

• Asymptomatic bacteriuria. In this situation bacteria are found in your urine but are not causing any symptoms. You will only know you have it if your urine is tested.
• Bladder infection . This is common, both in pregnant and non-pregnant women. Typical symptoms are pain when you pass urine and passing urine more often. You may also have other symptoms such as pain in your lower tummy , blood in your urine, and a high temperature .
• Kidney infection . This is uncommon but may occur as a complication from cystitis or asymptomatic bacteriuria. It is usually a more serious infection, making you feel very unwell. Some or all of the possible symptoms may occur, which include:
• Pain in your side over your kidney.
• Having a high temperature.
• Symptoms of cystitis as above.
• Feeling generally unwell.

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Can A Uti Cause Contractions During Pregnancy

Urinary tract infections are not associated with preterm labor, according to research published in the Journal of the Chinese Medical Association. However, if a urinary tract infection is left untreated, it can progress to a kidney infection. And a kidney infection during pregnancy can modestly increase your chances of early contractions and delivery. Research published in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology notes that women diagnosed with acute pyelonephritis in pregnancy have a 10.3 percent chance of preterm delivery compared with the 7.9 percent chance among women without a kidney infection during pregnancy.

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How Can I Prevent A Bladder Infection

You may do everything right and still experience a urinary tract infection during pregnancy, but you can reduce the likelihood by doing the following:

• Drink 6-8 glasses of water each day and unsweetened cranberry juice regularly.
• Eliminate refined foods, fruit juices, caffeine, alcohol, and sugar.
• Take Vitamin C , Beta-carotene and Zinc to help fight infection.
• Develop a habit of urinating as soon as the need is felt and empty your bladder completely when you urinate.
• Urinate before and after intercourse.
• Avoid intercourse while you are being treated for a UTI.
• After urinating, blot dry , and keep your genital area clean. Make sure you wipe from the front toward the back.
• Avoid using strong soaps, douches, antiseptic creams, feminine hygiene sprays, and powders.
• Change underwear and pantyhose every day.
• Avoid wearing tight-fitting pants.
• Wear all-cotton or cotton-crotch underwear and pantyhose.
• Dont soak in the bathtub longer than 30 minutes or more than twice a day.

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Causes Of Urine Infections

Women are more likely to get urine infections than men. In women, the tube that carries urine out of the bladder is shorter than in men. So itâs easier for germs to get into a womans bladder than a mans bladder.

Pregnant women are also more prone to getting urine infections due to:

• hormonal changes
• the pressure of your baby and womb on your bladder, which may prevent it from emptying properly when you pee

You can reduce your chances of getting a urine infection in pregnancy by:

• wiping yourself from front to back after going to the toilet or when you are washing your genital area
• emptying your bladder before and after sex
• going to the toilet as soon as you feel the urge to pee

Are Utis More Common In Pregnancy

Does it seem like UTIs are more common during pregnancy? Thats because they are! People who are between 6 to 24 weeks pregnant are at an increased risk of developing a UTI due to changes in anatomy, specifically the bladder. The uterus, which is your babys home and growing day by day, sits directly on top of the bladder, hence why you have to pee so often. As the uterus continues to grow, its increased weight can block the drainage of urine from the bladder, which can lead to UTIs.

UTIs are always important to treat. If they move up the reproductive tract they can potentially cause a kidney infection, which can be life-threatening. Kidney infections in pregnant people can potentially cause preterm labor and low birth weight in the baby. When treated early and properly, UTIs do not cause harm to the baby.

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What Are The Signs And Symptoms Of Utis

If you have a urinary tract infection, you may experience one or more of the following symptoms:

• Pain or burning when urinating
• The need to urinate more often than usual
• A feeling of urgency when you urinate
• Blood or mucus in the urine
• Cramps or pain in the lower abdomen
• Pain during sexual intercourse
• Chills, fever, sweats, leaking of urine
• Waking up from sleep to urinate
• Change in the amount of urine, either more or less
• Urine that looks cloudy, smells foul or unusually strong
• Pain, pressure, or tenderness in the area of the bladder
• When bacteria spreads to the kidneys you may experience back pain, chills, fever, nausea, and vomiting.

How Common Are Utis In Pregnancy

“UTIs during pregnancy are as common as they are in non-pregnant women,” Lisa Wynn, MD, Ob-gyn at UCHealth Highlands Ranch Hospital in Colorado, tells Health.

The exact rates of UTIs in pregnancy vary depending on who you ask, but in a study cited by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in 10 women were diagnosed with a UTI during their pregnancy, or just before it.

Many more pregnant people may have the bacteria that causes UTIs without even realizing it, though. According to a 2019 review, up to 15% of all pregnancies involve “asymptomatic bacteriuria,” meaning that the bacteria behind these infections are present but not causing any symptoms.

“We do screen patients at least once, if not a few times, during pregnancy to make sure they don’t have an infection,” says Dr. Wynn.

She estimates that about 30% of women who have this bacteria in their urinary tract will ultimately develop signs of a UTI.

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Urinary Tract Infection Treatment

The typical treatment for a UTI is antibiotics prescribed by your doctor. To diagnose a UTI, your doctor may identify your symptoms and prescribe you the appropriate medication.

In other instances, if your symptoms aren’t straightforward, or if you’ve been struggling with recurrent UTIs, your doc may suggest further testing.

More in-depth testing may involve:

• Additional bacteria cultures of a urine sample
• Ultrasound, computerized tomography scan, or magnetic resonance imaging
• Cystoscopy using a camera to look inside your urethra and bladder

Uti Testing In Pregnancy

The standard test for a UTI is a urine culture. This is done by watching a urine sample for several days and measuring the growth of bacteria. Normally, urine is sterile, which means no bacteria should grow. If bacteria do grow, laboratory specialists can do more testing to determine what kind of bacteria they are.

A urinalysis is a faster urine test. For this test, urine is studied under a microscope and checked for signs of infection. The result of a urinalysis can point to a UTI, but it cant determine what kind of bacteria are causing it.

Most providers offices also do a dipstick or spot test of urine samples. These rapid tests are helpful because they are done in just a few minutes and can show signs of infection when a UTI is present. The downside of rapid urine tests is that they provide much less information than either a urinalysis or a urine culture.

Urine tests for infection are not the same tests that are done to check for pregnancy. Having a UTI does not affect a pregnancy test result and vice versa.

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Are Utis A Risk During Pregnancy

During pregnancy, many changes occur in your body that increase your risk of developing a UTI, including changes to the make-up of your urine and immune system. As your baby grows, there is also an increase in the pressure on your bladder, which can reduce the flow of your urine and lead to an infection.

UTIs can affect women whether they are pregnant or not. However, pregnant women are more likely to develop repeated or more severe infections. Up to 1 in 10 pregnant women will have a UTI but not have any symptoms at all.

How To Treat Urinary Tract Infection In Pregnant Cats

Managing urinary tract infections in cats during pregnancy is a challenging task. First of all, motherhood should always come first. Your pet should be managed again and any underlying causes should be determined. A referral is highly recommended. Learn more about natural treatments for urinary tract infections in cats. Listed below are a few natural remedies for urinary tract infections in cats. In addition to a natural cure, you can also try a homemade remedy for a urinary tract infection in cats.

Motherhood First

A cat may display signs of pregnancy much as a woman does. Your cat may show cravings for particular foods and a growing belly. Her back may begin to sunken and she may become increasingly affectionate. Pregnant cats may also exhibit the typical signs of pregnancy including mood swings, frequent sickness, and an increased appetite. Read on to learn more about these signs of pregnancy in cats. But, remember: a pregnant cat doesnt necessarily mean that she is expecting.

A pregnant cats belly will increase in size and the nipples will swell. This is normal. When a cat is pregnant, her nipples will leak milk. She may vomit and drink more water, which is typical for a cat in labor. A sick or restless cat may also neglect food and drink more often. While these symptoms may indicate that shes about to give birth, they are not a sure sign of imminent labor.

A Fragile Moment

UTI In Cats

Natural Treatments For Urinary Tract Infections In Cats

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What Causes A Urine Infection

Most urine infections are caused by bacteria which come from your own bowel. They cause no harm in your bowel but can cause infection if they get into other parts of your body. Some bacteria lie around your back passage after you pass a stool . These bacteria can sometimes travel to your urethra and into your bladder. Some bacteria thrive in urine and multiply quickly to cause infection.

Women are more prone than men to urine infections, as their urethra is shorter and opens nearer the anus. Pregnant women are also more prone than non-pregnant women to urine infections. This is partly due to the hormonal changes of pregnancy which affect the urinary tract and tend to slow down the flow of urine. It also may be that the enlarged womb presses on the bladder and prevents it draining as well. If urine does not drain quickly from the bladder, germs are more able to multiply and cause an infection.

Less commonly there may be other causes of a urine infection. If you have to have a tube passed into your bladder, it is easier for germs to directly reach your bladder, and this may make urine infection more likely. Occasionally for people whose immune systems are not working well, the infection may spread through the bloodstream rather than up the urinary tubes.

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What Causes Utis In Pregnancy

Bacteria cause UTIs in pregnancy, as well as all other times in a person’s life.

More specifically, Escherichia coli is to blame for up to 90% of UTIs, per the National Kidney Foundation . These germs can be found in your intestines and around your anus, where they usually don’t cause any trouble. But if they get into the urethra, such as on a piece of toilet paper or accidentally during sex, they can create a colony in your urinary tract, resulting in a full-blown infection. UTIs usually occur in the bladder, says NKF, but they can also affect your urethra, ureters, and your kidneys.

While the culprit behind them is the same, UTIs in pregnancy have a few key differences than other UTIs. For one, hormonal changes may make the body more vulnerable to bacteria, says Felice Gersh, MD, OB-GYN, founder and director of the Integrative Medical Group of Irvine in Irvine, California, and author of PCOS SOS Fertility Fast Track.

“When a woman is pregnant, she has high levels of the hormone progesterone. It will somewhat relax the sphincters around the base of the bladder and urethra, so the urethra and urethra opening will enlarge, and that facilitates the bacteria coming up more,” Dr. Gersh tells Health.

Meaning it could be even easier for bacteria to get into your system and cause a UTI.

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How Are Utis Diagnosed

UTIs are diagnosed by taking a urine sample which is checked in a laboratory for bacteria. Your doctor may also perform a physical examination if they think you have an infection.

All pregnant women are offered a urine test, usually at their first antenatal visit or soon after. You may need to repeat the urine test if you have a history of UTIs have symptoms of a UTI have a contaminated sample or if your doctor thinks you are at high risk of developing a UTI. If you have frequent UTIs, you may also need additional tests such as an ultrasound of your kidneys.

What Increases Or Reduces Risk Of Utis During Pregnancy

Women who have or carry the trait for sickle cell disease are at increased risk for UTIs. We test these patients monthly to ensure we detect an infection as soon as possible.

If you have diabetes, youre also at a higher risk. We might not test you as frequently, but we will consistently look for symptoms. Both conditions make it harder for the body to fight infections.

Just as when youre not pregnant, you can take specific actions to lower your chances of getting a UTI, such as:

• Wiping front to back in the bathroom
• Urinating before and after sex
• Wearing cotton underwear
• Avoiding tight and wet clothing
• Drinking more water

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Uti During Pregnancy Treatment

Treating a UTI during pregnancy looks a little bit different than when youre not pregnant. Most of the time, your primary care provider will prescribe you a pregnancy-safe antibiotic to take for 7-10 days to treat the infection. If your UTI progresses into a kidney infection, however, stronger antibiotics will be required and sometimes an IV for more serious cases.

While pregnancy-safe antibiotics work well to treat UTIs, many people are nervous about taking a new antibiotic while pregnant. If you have this concern, there are plenty of natural ways to help protect against future UTIs. Drinking plenty of water helps protect against UTIs as it makes it harder for bacteria to reach the cells in the urinary tract. Additionally, cranberry juice is a well-established natural UTI protection tool because it contains a lot of antioxidants with antibacterial properties.

UTIs are the worst. During pregnancy, they can be even more scary and uncomfortable, so we hope this information helped navigate this part of your journey. For more on all things on your health, head to the Stix Library.

Cranberry Juice Or Extract

Cranberry can help prevent E. coli from attaching to the urinary tract lining and creating a biofilm, so its also good for use as a preventative. It does not however prevent E. coli from replicating.

Cranberry also inhibits the growth of gram positive bacteria from Staphylococcus aureus, though it doesnt get rid of existing biofilm. Cranberry juice can also be used, but it should be unsweetened. However, it can be a little too tart for most taste buds.

Where to buy? Most local grocery stores will have organic, unsweetened cranberry juice. You can also use this concentrate form. Shoot for 16-32 ounces of juice per day.

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