Pregnancy
UTIs happen when bacteria get inside the urinary tract and start to proliferate. The pressure from the growing uterus and a rise in hormones that loosen uterine muscles reduce the likelihood for the bladder to empty when urinating during pregnancy. As a result, a pregnant woman has an increased risk of developing too many bacteria the longer urine remains in the body.
Pregnancy-related UTIs come in three different types. The first one is asymptomatic. A UTI that doesn’t create symptoms could be present in 7 percent of pregnant women. However, a 25 percent possibility exists that an unchecked asymptomatic infection will progress to the next stage of UTI: the bladder and the kidney.
Cystitis, which affects only the bladder, is another type of UTI during pregnancy. Symptoms of the infection include pain when urinating, frequent but small amounts of urine, and urges to pee immediately.
Last is pyelonephritis, a kidney infection that can result in significant problems such as septic shock, anemia, excessive lung fluid, and pre-term labor. It is commonly associated with cystitis symptoms, fever, nausea, chills, and discomfort in the lower back and sides.
