Urinary tract infection while pregnant

What does a urinary tract infection feel like?

When you’re pregnant, signs of a UTI include:

• unprovoked Braxton-Hicks contractions
• pain in the lower belly
• itching or burning when you pee
• streaks of blood or mucus in the urine
• frequent need to urinate
• foul-smelling urine

A sensation like you’re peeing out barbed wire or pebbles is typical with a urinary tract infection and indicates that something is off. But in fact, in pregnant people the most common sign is Braxton-Hicks contractions that happen even though you haven’t exerted yourself, or pain in the belly. Other, more subtle signs, like the constant need to pee, can be difficult to spot because they are indistinguishable from typical and usually harmless side effects of pregnancy. And in some people, a UTI won’t produce any symptoms at all.

To keep an eye on the situation and ensure that no UTI goes undetected, you leave a urine sample, which is checked for bacteria, at your regular checkups when you’re pregnant. If you suspect that something isn’t right, for example due to itching or pain in the belly, then don’t wait for your next visit. Contact your clinic immediately for advice. Better to give one sample too many!

How can a UTI impact pregnancy?

An untreated urinary tract infection when you’re pregnant isn’t good, because it could lead to a kidney infection. An untreated infection could also increase the quantity of Braxton-Hicks contractions you have, which could trigger labour prematurely. But if you treat a UTI early, there’s no reason to worry, because the risk of it impacting you or the baby is very small then.

What causes UTIs? Can you minimise the risk?

Growing up, words of wisdom were surely abundant regarding how to avoid a UTI. Not sitting in a wet swimsuit, wearing pants in a natural material, and no tight trousers are all classics. Wiping from front to back, avoiding strong soaps and not washing too often, being sure to pee and shower before/after sex, and drinking plenty of water are probably familiar tips as well. This is all good advice, but most of the time, an infection happens when you can’t – or don’t manage to – empty your bladder properly. And that’s true whether or not you’re pregnant. The difference when you’re pregnant is that you’ve got a baby pressing on your bladder. That makes it harder to pee everything out and bacteria see an opportunity to proliferate. While it might not guarantee that you’ll avoid infection, it’s good to take an extra moment to really try to finish peeing – even if you’ve got a three-year-old or a stressed partner outside the door.

Pregnant people can also get urinary tract infections due to a different hormone balance, which means it might take longer for urine to go from the kidneys to the bladder. The most important thing you can do is to go to your checkups and pay attention to any symptoms.

If you’ve had a lot of UTIs in the past, it’s a good idea to let your midwife know at your first appointment, because you might leave samples more regularly, just to keep an extra eye on the situation.

How are UTIs treated when you’re pregnant?

If you aren’t pregnant, UTIs can often heal up on their own. But treatment is always recommended when you are pregnant, just to avoid any complications. You will be prescribed antibiotics, which kill the bacteria in the bladder. Pregnant people are prescribed a special kind of antibiotic that is approved for pregnancy and does not harm the baby. The treatment is effective and when you’re finished, you will go in for a follow-up after a week or two to make sure the infection is completely gone. If it doesn’t do the trick and the issue remains or worsens, then contact your doctor or midwife. You may have to take another round of antibiotics, or preventive antibiotics may be necessary.

Please note that all information above is based on Swedish recommendations.