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Urinary tract infection in pregnancy

^1. Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Craigavon Area Hospital, 68 Lurgan Road, Co. Armagh BT63 5QQ, UK Email: tim.mccormick{at}southerntrust.hscni.net (corresponding author)
^2. Department of Urogynaecology, Antrim Area Hospital, Bush Road, Antrim BT41 2RL, UK
^3. Department of Microbiology and Infection Control, Antrim Area Hospital, Antrim, UK

Key content:

• Urinary tract infection during pregnancy is common and is associated with significant maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality.
  
• It can be asymptomatic.
  
• Screening of all women by urine culture should be performed in early pregnancy, despite the cost.
  
• Treatment should be guided by urine culture and sensitivity reports.
  
• Antibiotic treatment should continue for 7 days, as shorter courses are not as effective during pregnancy.
  

Learning objectives:

• To identify the clinical presentations.
  
• To understand the evidence base for effective investigation and treatment.
  

Ethical issues:

• The empirical use of antimicrobial treatments increases drug resistance and must be balanced against delay in treatment and the associated morbidities.
  

Please cite this article as: McCormick T, Ashe RG, Kearney PM. Urinary tract infection in pregnancy. The Obstetrician & Gynaecologist 2008;10:156–162.

Keywords acute cystitis / asymptomatic bacteriuria / pyelonephritis