Cystitis in pregnancy
Cystitis is a very common urinary infection in girls and women. It is usually caused by bacteria that enter the bladder and, if it is not treated, it can reach the kidneys. Women tend to get this infection more often than men and even, cystitis is very common in pregnancy. How to know if you suffer
Cystitis is a very common urinary infection in girls and women. It is usually caused by bacteria that enter the bladder and, if it is not treated, it can reach the kidneys.
Women tend to get this infection more often than men and even, cystitis is very common in pregnancy.
How to know if you suffer from cystitis in pregnancy
Symptoms of cystitis in pregnancy are usually quite clear and identifiable: cause pain and itching when urinating, frequent need to go to the bathroom and discomfort in the pelvic area.
If the infection has reached the kidneys, these symptoms are accentuated and may even include fever, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In this case, it is recommended to go to the emergency doctor.
Causes of cystitis in pregnancy
Women suffer more often cystitis because the female urethra is shorter than the male and is also much closer to the anus, so it is easier for bacteria to reach the urinary tract.
It can also happen that the infection occurs during sexual intercourse, since certain practices may favor the bacteria from the anus to reach the urinary tract.
During pregnancy, the growth of the belly causes the displacement of some organs. For example, the bladder is more compressed and that causes more urine to be retained and this leads to a higher concentration of bacteria.
Another cause of a higher probability of suffering from cystitis in pregnancy is that it is a stage in which the immune defenses of the woman go down so that more urinary infections can appear.
What to do in case of cystitis in pregnancy
It is important that as soon as you suffer the first symptoms you go to your doctor so that the cystitis does not lead to acute pyelonephritis, that is, in a kidney infection that you can put in pregnancy risk by causing premature birth.
The doctor will perform a urine test that will reveal if the pregnant woman suffers or not cystitis and can prescribe the appropriate treatment that, in addition to the pharmacological, goes through drinking a lot of water.
Remedies and prevention for cystitis in pregnancy
- Drink plenty of fluids.
- Carry a correct hygiene avoiding contaminating the vagina from the anal area at the time of cleaning.
- Use a soap with a neutral pH for intimate hygiene.
- Diet rich in vegetables and fruits and with low fat foods since they are more difficult to purify
