DOI: sjams.2017.v05i02.015

Pages: 376-378

Urinary tract infection (UTI) is one of the most frequently seen medical complications in pregnancy. UTI in pregnancy poses risk of complications such as premature birth, low birth weight, still birth and pyelonephritis. The present study was done to assess the prevalence of the urinary tract infections among pregnant women. This cross sectional study was conducted on the pregnant women attending to the gynecology department over a period of 6 months. Total 187 pregnant women were participated in the study. The midstream urine of the women with or without symptoms was collected using labelled disposable universal containers. The samples were transported to the microbiology department for the analysis. The colony count yielding bacterial growth of >105 / ml was taken as being significant. One hundred and eighty seven samples were collected and analyzed during the period of study. Out of these, 51 (27.27%) samples have shown significant growth. Age group of 26 to 30 years showed the maximum number of pregnant women and also shown maximum positive patients of UTI (30.48%), while the group 41 to 45 years had shown lowest percentage positive of UTI. There was higher rate of infection in the third trimester (28.57%) than in the second and first trimester. Prevalence of UTI in “well” status women is found to be 36.93 %. The significance of education has been evidenced by the fact that only 17.08 % of the patients suffering from UTI are educated while 82.75 % are illiterate. All pregnant women should be screened for UTI with a urine culture to prevent complications with all the added benefits to the mother and the Fetus.