How will a UTI affect my baby?
A kidney infection may result from an untreated UTI. Kidney infections may cause early labor and low birth weight. If your doctor treats a urinary tract infection (UTI) promptly and effectively, the infection won’t harm your unborn child.
Not all urine tests are the same
We’ll probably check your urine in the third trimester for protein or glucose, which can signify high blood pressure or gestational diabetes. We additionally check your baby’s urine at this time for sexually transmitted diseases like chlamydia and gonorrhea.
These tests cannot determine whether you have a UTI. Please let us know if you have UTI symptoms so we can run the necessary tests and start treating you.
Group B streptococcus. Many women have this bacteria in their colon and vagina. It can result in UTIs and be transmitted to newborns by women. Around weeks 36 to 37 of pregnancy, your doctor will perform a test to check for this bacteria. If you have group B strep, your doctor will administer IV antibiotics to you while you are in labor.
Common UTI Symptoms in Pregnant Women
“While mildly painful urination during pregnancy can often mean a yeast infection, not a UTI, it’s always best to see your healthcare provider if you experience any symptoms,” says Heather Bartos, MD, an ob-gyn in Cross Roads, Texas. After all, research suggests that about 18 percent of UTIs that occur during pregnancy are symptomatic UTIs, meaning the telltale UTI signs and symptoms are present:
In pregnancy, women are also more susceptible to asymptomatic UTIs, meaning you have significant bacteria in your urine but your urinary tract is free of signs and symptoms. Experiencing no symptoms, however, does not mean that asymptomatic UTIs are benign. “An asymptomatic UTI can lead to a symptomatic UTI or even a kidney infection,” says Dr. Bartos. In fact, research shows that if asymptomatic UTIs are left untreated, 30 percent of pregnant women will go on to develop a symptomatic UTI, and half of those women will eventually be diagnosed with acute pyelonephritis (a kidney infection). Up to 23 percent will have a kidney infection recurrence during the same pregnancy. It’s important to note that classic UTI signs, like frequent and painful urination, may or may not occur with a kidney infection. Here, some signs to look out for: