Cystitis is a bacterial infection or inflammation of the bladder, which is common in pregnancy.
Cystitis is one of several urinary tract infectionsA bacterial infection of one or more structures in the urinary tract including the kidneys and bladder. The most common gramnegative bacteria include Escherichia coli, or a species of Klebsiella, Proteus, Pseudomonas or Enterobacter.
Urinary tract infections are more common in women than in men. They are characterized by an increased need to urinate, a burning sensation and in severe cases blood and pus in the urine.
Treatment includes antibacterials, analgesics, and urinary antiseptic medications. Urinary tract infections include cystitis, pyelonephritis and urethritis. Abbreviated to UTI.
Visit our comprehensive glossary for more pregnancy terms and definitions., or UTIs, including pyelonephritis, which is caused by the bacteria Escherichia coli. Urinary tract infections affect up to ten percent (1 in 10) pregnant women, and are caused by pressure and engorgement of blood vessels in the pelvic area that result from pregnancy.
Symptoms of cystitis including a stinging or burning sensation in the urethra when urinating called dysuria. Many women who have the infection feel like they need to urinate constantly, sometimes every ten minutes, but because the bladder is empty, nothing comes out when they try. You may also experience a pain just above your pubic bone. If the infection is severe, there may also be blood in the urine.
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Unfortunately many of the symptoms of cystitis are also common complaints of pregnancy. Your doctor will confirm the presence of a bladder infection by performing a urinalysis and a urine culture, and is one of the reasons why a urine test is performed at each prenatal visit.
Your doctor will probably want to rule out a vaginal infection, or vaginitis caused by a yeast infection. The burning symptoms caused by a vaginitis as the urine irritates the vaginal inflammation are similar to cystitis, and can be confirmed by culturing a swab.
As your uterus grows pressure is placed on tubes leading from the kidneys to the bladder and the bladder itself. This can prevent the bladder from draining properly increasing the risk of bladder infections. The incidence of urinary tract infections is about three percent (1 in 30) among middle or upper socioeconomic groups and up to ten percent (1 in 10) in lower economic groups.
A cystitis infection is unlikely to cause problems during pregnancy, but if left untreated a kidney infection, called pyelonephritis may develop.
If you suspect that you have contracted a cystitis infection you should make sure that you drink plenty of fluid to flush the bacteria out of the urinary tract. Some doctors recommend drinking cranberry, orange, lemon or grapefruit juice to acidify the urine and kill bacteria. An alkaline based drink such as a mixture of sodium bicarbonate and sodium citrate may also be helpful.
Wear underwear made of natural fibers that is loose, or hose that has cotton panels or air holes between the legs. Visit your doctor so that you can be treated for the infection so that a kidney infection does not develop. Your doctor will prescribe antibiotics that are safe for use during pregnancy such ampicillin (Ampicin
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