Healthcare Professionals
Anyone can get a urinary tract infection (UTI), but starting around the sixth week of pregnancy, an expectant mother’s UTI risk goes up — UTIs are the most common bacterial infection in women, and especially during pregnancy.
Usually a UTI isn’t too serious and is easily treated by a doctor with a prescription antibiotic. But if it’s left undiagnosed and untreated, a UTI can become a kidney infection — which is serious and needs to be managed right away, especially during pregnancy.
Why? A kidney infection during pregnancy can lead to preterm labor and/or low birth weight, both of which put your baby’s wellness at risk.
For your health and your baby’s, here’s what to know about UTIs and kidney infections during pregnancy — how to recognize them, and how to help prevent them.
Why UTIs are more common in pregnancy
Pregnant women are more likely to get UTIs because of:
Hormones and immune changes
During pregnancy, hormones change the urinary tract in ways that make it more susceptible to infection. A pregnant person’s immune system is also naturally less robust — pregnancy is considered an “immunocompromised” state, which raises the risk of infection in general.
Pressure on the bladder
A growing baby bump presses on the bladder, sometimes blocking urine flow and making it harder to empty the bladder completely. Urine that sits stagnant in the bladder is more likely to lead to an infection.
Urine changes
Up to 50% of pregnant women experience glycosuria — sugar in the urine — due to pregnancy-related changes in kidney function. Sugar can encourage bacterial growth, raising UTI risk.
Hygiene challenges
As the belly grows, it gets harder to know what’s going on “down there.” Physical hurdles to gentle, proper genital hygiene can increase the chance that UTI-causing bacteria stick around.
How to recognize a UTI or kidney infection
Pregnant or not, if you notice any of the symptoms below, talk to your healthcare provider — the only treatment for a UTI or kidney infection is a doctor-prescribed antibiotic. If you’re pregnant, or think you might be, make sure your provider knows: UTIs can be more serious during pregnancy, and some antibiotics are safer for pregnant mothers and their babies than others.
UTI symptoms
- Persistent urge to urinate
- Burning sensation when urinating
- Passing frequent, small amounts of urine
- Urine that looks cloudy
- Strong-smelling urine
- Pelvic pain
Kidney infection symptoms — get care right away
- Fever
- Back, side (flank), or groin pain
- Abdominal pain
- Throwing up or upset stomach
- Weakness or extreme tiredness
- Frequent urination and a strong, persistent urge to urinate
- Burning or pain when urinating
- Pus or blood in your urine
- Urine that smells bad or is cloudy
As always, talk to your healthcare professional before starting any new medication or supplement, particularly during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.
How to lower your UTI risk during pregnancy
Now that you know why UTIs and kidney infections are more common in pregnancy and what to watch for, here are tips to help you maintain your urinary health — for your own comfort and your growing baby’s well-being.
- Drink 6–8 glasses of water per day.
- Limit processed foods, fruit juices, caffeine, alcohol, and sugar in your diet.
- Urinate as soon as you feel the urge, and try to empty your bladder completely each time.
- Wash your hands before and after using the toilet.
- Gently wipe from front to back after using the toilet — don’t rub, but make sure you’re dry.
- Wear clean cotton underwear, avoid tight-fitting clothing, and change out of damp clothes promptly.
- Avoid “feminine” deodorants, douches, strong soaps, powders, and sprays.
- Take showers instead of baths, and use a gentle liquid soap to avoid transferring bacteria from bar soap to your urethra.
- Wash your genital area with warm water before sex.
- Empty your bladder shortly before and after sex.
- If you use a lubricant, choose one that’s water-based.
Want to learn more about UTI prevention and urinary health? Explore our other Cystex blogs.