Bladder Infection During Pregnancy

Having a bladder infection during pregnancy is not uncommon.

A bladder infection - also called a UTI or Urinary Tract Infection - is difficult to diagnose because the symptoms can be an indication of many other things including venereal disease and kidney disease.

Also during pregnancy, a bladder infection can be asymptomatic - without symptoms. So be sure to get a diagnosis from your doctor or midwife. A diagnosis is easy to get with a painless urinalysis and a urine culture.

Bladder Infection During Pregnancy:
UTI Symptoms

Symptoms are the same whether you are pregnant or not:

Pain, burning, or discomfort when emptying your bladder

The need to empty your bladder more often than usual

A feeling of urgency when you urinate

Blood or mucus in the urine

Cramps or pain in the lower abdomen

Pain during love making

Chills, fever, sweats, leaking of urine

Change in amount of urine - either more or less

Urine that looks cloudy, smells foul or unusually strong

Pain, pressure, or tenderness in the area of the bladder

Bladder Infection Information

What is a bladder infection?

A bladder infection - or UTI - is a bacterial inflammation in the urinary tract. As we have already said, a bladder infection during pregnancy is common - especially during week 6 through week 24.

So you are probably wondering why a bladder infection during pregnancy is more common. It is due to different factors:

For one it is due to the changes in your urinary tract, some of which are due to hormonal changes in your body.

Another reason is that your uterus - full with baby - sits directly on top of your bladder. As your baby grows and therefore your uterus, its increased weight can block the drainage of urine from the bladder, causing an infection.

Lastly is that while pregnant, your blood volume increases by 50%. That is a good thing.
However, your kidneys - which are responsible for cleaning your blood - are called upon to work harder than normal and therefore they are more vulnerable to stress and infection.

What Are The Dangers of a Bladder Infection During Pregnancy?

Well, the main danger of a UTI during pregnancy is premature labor and therefore a premature baby.

How can this be? What do pregnancy and UTI have to do with prematurity?

Well, if a bladder infection goes untreated, it may lead to a kidney infection and a kidney infection may cause preterm - early - labor.

If you treat a urinary tract infection early and properly, the bladder infection will not cause any harm to your baby.

Bladder Infection Prevention

Be aware that you could do everything right and still have a bladder infection during pregnancy. The cause of a bladder infection is not always clear. However, your behaviors can and do indeed make a big difference.

First of all, watch your diet. You must eat well in order to maintain proper physiology - proper body functions.

Drink at least 6-8 glasses of water each day. It will help dilute your urine. Sorry to say, bacteria find urine a wonderful medium to grow in. A healthy intake of water will help flush your system.

Eliminate sugar. Bacteria thrives on sugar

This includes:

Refined foods i.e. white flour, etc.

Fruit juices

Honey

Sugar

And no...

...Artificial sweeteners are not a healthy alternative.

This includes:

Saccharine - Sweet-n-Low

Aspartame - NutraSweet

Splenda

Avoid caffeine, this includes coffee, black teas, chocolate and last but certainly not least sodas!

Avoiding alcohol is a no brainer and it is also full of fruit sugars.

Develop a habit of emptying your bladder regularly as soon as you have the urge and empty it completely.

Empty your bladder before and after lovemaking.

Avoid lovemaking while you have a bladder infection.

After emptying your bladder, make sure you wipe from front to back.

Avoid using strong soaps, douches, antiseptic creams, feminine hygiene sprays, and powders - they do affect your vagina's delicate tissues.

Avoid pantyhose.

Wear all cotton underwear. Synthetic materials do not allow your skin to breathe which makes bacteria very happy.

Avoid bubble bath, bath oil and bath salts. Bacterial growth is aided by resulting change in normal acid/alkaline balance.

Drink 5 to 10 cups of Nettles tea or infusion every week during the last trimester of pregnancy in order to strengthen your kidneys. A good Pregnancy Tea will contain Nettles

Last but not least, rest. You are more susceptible to any infection when your body is run down.

Treating a Bladder Infection

A doctor - or even some midwives - will treat a UTI with antibiotics. Antibiotics while effective and better than a preterm infant are not risk free. Doctors will say that drugs are risk free and very safe. They also said that about x-rays and DES.

However, a drug per definition must be toxic or it cannot be labeled as a drug.

Granted, if your bladder infection is very advanced and you are in premature labor, then medication is the lesser of two evils. In this case the benefits do outweigh the risks.

However, if you have time, there are safe natural alternatives. Yes, there are natural cures for a bladder infection.

Nutritional cures

Herbal remedies

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