Baby on Board: The Link Between UTIs and Pregnancy

A typical pregnancy lasts around 40 weeks – that’s 280 days – during which time lots of major changes are going on in your body. Some of these natural pregnancy changes mean you are more likely to have a urinary tract infection (UTI).

UTIs are the most common type of infections seen during pregnancy, and while they are usually easily treated, sometimes they may become a serious problem for you and your developing baby.

Your doctor, nurse or midwife will normally test your urine for bacteria during the early stages of your pregnancy. If they find bacteria present they will recommend treatment to clear the infection – whether or not you have any UTI symptoms – so that it does not progress and cause further problems.

If you are pregnant and think you have a UTI or if you only have mild UTI symptoms, it is important to see your doctor, midwife or other healthcare professional as soon as possible so the infection can be treated.

Why are pregnant women more susceptible to UTIs?

Pregnancy is a time of great change with lots of things going on in your body – and some of these changes may leave you more vulnerable to UTIs.

These UTI-related pregnancy changes include:

Hormonal changes

Urine is made by your kidneys and stored in your bladder before being released when you urinate. Increased levels of the hormone progesterone (which usually happens during the first part of your pregnancy), can affect the muscles in your bladder and the tubes that lead from your kidney to your bladder (the ureters).

These muscles become more relaxed and the ureters widen making it easier for UTI-causing bacteria to move up from your bladder to the kidneys.

Pressure on your bladder

Further on in your pregnancy, the weight of the developing baby and uterus will start to put increased pressure on your bladder. This can reduce your urine flow and make it harder to fully empty your bladder, allowing any UTI-causing bacteria to flourish in the urine left behind.

Changes to your immune system

During pregnancy, your immune system starts to adapt to the baby growing inside of you. These changes may mean that your body responds differently than before and some of your natural protection against infections, such as UTIs, may be reduced.

Urine changes

Sometimes during pregnancy, there are changes in your urine that may help UTI-causing bacteria grow. For example, this can happen if you have increased sugar (glucose) levels. Normally (when you are not pregnant) there is very little sugar in the urine, but it is common to have some during pregnancy. But don’t worry, your doctor or midwife will usually check your urine sugar levels as part of your routine pregnancy tests. 

What are the signs of UTIs during pregnancy?

The signs and symptoms of a UTI during pregnancy are usually the same as those you would experience if you were not pregnant.

Common UTI symptoms you may experience include:

• Pain or a burning sensation when urinating
• Wanting to urinate more often than usual
• Cloudy, bloody or smelly urine
• Pain in the lower tummy (abdomen) back or sides.

If you are pregnant and think you have a UTI, it is important to see your doctor, midwife or other healthcare professional as soon as possible – even if your symptoms are only mild – so the infection can be treated early.

If left untreated, UTIs can quickly lead to serious complications such as kidney infections, which can be more severe when you are pregnant.

It’s important to see your doctor as soon as possible if you have symptoms of a serious infection, which includes any of the following:

• Fever
• Vomiting
• Diarrhoea
• Back pain.

How can I prevent UTIs during pregnancy?

There are a number of day-to-day things you can do to help prevent UTIs during your pregnancy, including:

• Drinking enough fluids
• Not ‘holding on’ when you need to urinate
• Washing your genital area regularly
• Remembering to wipe from front to back after going to the toilet.

When you are pregnant, your doctor or pharmacist can advise you on the use of over-the-counter products – before you start taking them – such as:

• Ural Effervescent Powders for the relief from the painful, burning symptoms of UTIs
• Ural Daily Supplement High Strength Cranberry Capsules to help support your day-to-day urinary tract health
• Uramet to help suppress bacteria in your urine and help prevent recurrent UTIs.  Before taking Uramet, tell your pharmacist that you are pregnant or are planning to become pregnant or are breastfeeding. They will discuss the benefits and possible risks of taking Uramet during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.

When you are pregnant or breastfeeding, you should always check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any medication.

Remember, if you are pregnant and you suspect you have a UTI, you need to make an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible.