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Do you get uti in early pregnancy


Urinary Tract Infections (UTI) During Pregnancy

Written by WebMD Editorial Contributors

Medically Reviewed by Nivin Todd, MD on September 04, 2022

In this Article

  • UTI Symptoms
  • Why Are UTIs More Common During Pregnancy?
  • UTI Diagnosis
  • UTI Treatment During Pregnancy
  • UTI Complications During Pregnancy
  • UTI Prevention

A urinary tract infection (UTI) is an infection of some part of your body's urinary system, which includes your:

  • Kidneys
  • Ureters (tubes that carries urine from your kidneys to your bladder)
  • Bladder
  • Urethra (a short tube that carries urine from your bladder to outside your body)

Bacteria cause most UTIs. Anyone can get one, but they're most common in women, and they can be extra concerning if you're pregnant.

If you think you might have a UTI, tell your doctor. With proper care, you and your baby should be fine.

Usually, these infections are in the bladder and urethra. But sometimes they can lead to kidney infections. If they do, UTIs may lead to preterm labor (giving birth too early) and low birth weight.

UTI Symptoms

If you have a UTI, you may have:

  • An urgent need to pee, or peeing more often
  • Trouble with peeing
  • A burning sensation or cramps in your lower back or lower belly
  • A burning feeling when you pee
  • Urine that looks cloudy or has an odor
  • Blood in your pee, which can turn it red, bright pink, or cola-colored

If you have a kidney infection, you may have:

  • Fever
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Upper back pain, often on just one side

If you have symptoms of a kidney infection, see your doctor right away. Without treatment, the infection can spread into your bloodstream and cause life-threatening conditions.

Why Are UTIs More Common During Pregnancy?

Hormones are one reason. In pregnancy, they cause changes in the urinary tract, and that makes women more likely to get infections. Changes in hormones can also lead to vesicoureteral reflux, a condition in which your pee flows back up from your bladder to your kidneys. This can cause UTIs.

When you’re pregnant, your pee has more sugar, protein, and hormones in it. These changes also put you at higher risk for a UTI.

Because you’re pregnant, your growing uterus presses on your bladder. That makes it hard for you to let out all the urine in your bladder. Leftover urine can be a source of infection.

Other causes of UTIs include:

Escherichia coli and other bacteria from your poop. E. Coli is the most common cause of UTIs and can move from your rectum to your urethra if you don’t wipe from front to back.

Sexual activity. Fingers, your partner’s penis, or devices can move bacteria near your vagina into your urethra.

Group B streptococcus. Many women have this bacteria in their colon and vagina. It can cause UTIs and women can pass it to their newborns. Your doctor will test you for this bacteria around weeks 36 to 37 of pregnancy. If you’re positive for group B strep, your doctor will give you IV antibiotics during labor.

UTI Diagnosis

You’ll take a urine test. Your doctor will test it for bacteria and red and white blood cells. A urine culture may also be checked. It shows what kind of bacteria are in the urine.

UTI Treatment During Pregnancy

You’ll take antibiotics for 3 to 7 days or as your doctor recommends. If your infection makes you feel uncomfortable, your doctor will probably start your treatment before you get your urine test results.

Your symptoms should go away in 3 days. Take all of your medication on schedule anyway. Don’t stop it early, even if your symptoms fade.

Many common antibiotics -- amoxicillin, erythromycin, and penicillin, for example -- are considered safe for pregnant women. Your doctor wouldn’t prescribe others, such as ciprofloxacin (Cipro), sulfamethoxazole, tetracycline, or trimethoprim (Primsol, Proloprim, Trimpex), that can affect your baby’s development.

UTI Complications During Pregnancy

Pyelonephritis is a UTI that affects the kidneys. If you’re pregnant it can cause:

  • Preterm labor
  • Severe infection
  • Adult respiratory distress syndrome
  • Anemia
  • Long-term infection

UTI Prevention

To try to avoid getting a UTI:

  • Drink at least eight glasses of water a day.
  • Wipe yourself from front to back when you go to the bathroom.
  • Empty your bladder shortly before and after sex.
  • If you need a lubricant when you have sex, choose a water-based one.
  • Don't douche.
  • Avoid strong feminine deodorants or soaps that cause irritation.
  • Wash your genital area with warm water before sex.
  • Wear cotton underwear.
  • Take showers instead of baths.
  • Don’t wear pants that are too tight.
  • Pee often.
  • Avoid alcohol, citrus juices, spicy food, and caffeinated drinks, which can irritate your bladder.

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) in pregnancy - symptoms, causes

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What is a urinary tract infection?

A urinary tract infection (UTI) is an infection of the urinary system. UTIs are the most common bacterial infection that women develop during pregnancy. They can occur in different parts of the urinary tract, including the bladder (cystitis), urethra (urethritis) or kidneys (pyelonephritis). Sometimes when a UTI develops and bacteria are detected in the urinary tract, you may not have any symptoms of an infection. This is known as asymptomatic bacteriuria.

While anyone can get a UTI, they are much more common in women than men and they are also more likely to occur in the very young and the elderly.

What are the symptoms of UTIs during pregnancy?

Common symptoms of a UTI during pregnancy are similar to those that you might experience at any other time, and include:

  • a burning sensation when you pass urine
  • feeling the urge to urinate more often than usual
  • urinating before you reach the toilet (‘leaking’ or incontinence)
  • feeling like your bladder is full, even after you have urinated
  • urine that looks cloudy, bloody or is very smelly
  • pain above the pubic bone
  • fever

Sometimes the first sign of an infection is a faint prickly sensation when you pass urine. If the infection is more advanced and has moved up to the kidneys, you may also experience fever with a particularly high temperature, back pain and vomiting.

What are the common causes of UTIs?

Your urinary tract is normally free of bacteria. If bacteria enter the tract and multiply, they can cause a UTI. There are several factors that increase the risk of developing an infection:

  • Infection with common bacteria in your gut, usually from faeces (poo) can contaminate your urinary tract
  • Being sexually active increases the risk of bacteria moving around the genital area and entering the urinary tract
  • If you have weak pelvic floor muscles your bladder might not empty completely, which can lead to an infection
  • Women with diabetes are at increased risk of developing a UTI since the sugar in their urine may cause bacteria to multiply

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.

Is there a risk to my baby?

Having a UTI during pregnancy can increase your risk of developing high blood pressure, and your baby may be born early and smaller than usual. For this reason, even if you don’t have any symptoms, it is important to treat a UTI as soon as possible.

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.

How are UTIs treated during pregnancy?

When you have a UTI, it is important to drink plenty of water to flush out the urinary tract. UTIs are treated with antibiotics that are safe in pregnancy. Your doctor will select the right antibiotic, based on your infection and the type of bacteria found in your urine sample.

Can I prevent UTIs?

You can lower your risk of developing a UTI during pregnancy by:

  • drinking plenty of fluids, especially water
  • quickly treating any vaginal infection that may occur, including thrush or a sexually transmitted infection
  • avoiding becoming constipated

Some women have also found the following tips helpful:

  • urinate immediately after sex
  • don’t delay going to the toilet — go as soon as you feel the need
  • wipe from the front to the back after going to the toilet
  • wear cotton underwear

When should I see my doctor?

See your midwife or doctor if you have any symptoms of a UTI. It’s important not to delay treatment since infections develop quickly, and can affect both you and your baby.

More information

UTIs are very common during pregnancy, and are best treated early. If you notice the symptoms of an infection, seek medical advice from your doctor, midwife or pharmacist.

For more information on UTIs, visit the Kidney Health Australia page on UTIs.

Sources:
Government of South Australia (Urinary Tract Infection in Pregnancy), Jean Hailes (Urinary Tract Infections), Kidney Health Australia (Factsheet: Urinary Tract Infections), Government of Western Australia North Metropolitan Health Service (Urinary Tract Infection in Pregnant Women)

Learn more here about the development and quality assurance of healthdirect content.

Last reviewed: August 2021


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Related pages

  • Incontinence during pregnancy
  • Frequent urination during pregnancy

Need more information?

Urinary tract infection (UTI) - MyDr.
com.au

Urinary tract infection occurs when part of the urinary tract becomes infected. UTIs are usually caused by bacteria and generally clear up with a course of antibiotics.