Pregnancy & Urinary Tract Infections
Even with all the joys of pregnancy, urinary tract infections can put a damper on your fun. Urinary tract infections are able to strike at any time during your pregnancy and can lead to serious complications if left untreated. Because of this reason, it's important to maintain a steady OB/GYN schedule and follow doctor's orders whenever you get a urinary tract infection.
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What is a Urinary Tract Infection
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This type of infection occurs when your urinary tract is not fully emptied of urine, and it results in an overgrowth of bad bacteria. In pregnancy, the urinary tract is often compressed by the growing uterus.
Symptoms
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Common symptoms of urinary tract infections are a burning feeling with urinating, a frequent need to urinate and trouble actually emptying your bladder when the time comes. Some women never experience any of these symptoms.
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How It's Discovered
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The only way to know for sure that you have a urinary tract infection is through a urine analysis. When you provide a urine sample at your regular OB/GYN visit, the nurse will test your urine for the presence of blood and bacteria.
Treatments
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The most common type of treatment is an antibiotic. The doctor may prescribe this antibiotic for a course of 7 to 14 days. In some cases when the urinary tract infection persists, the doctor will prescribe a low-level antibiotic for the remainder of your pregnancy.
Complications
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Left untreated, a urinary tract infection can lead to a kidney infection. Kidney infections are the most serious complications in pregnancy, which can prompt pre-term labor and low birth weight.
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References
- Photo Credit Doriana_s, Stock.Xchang
