Urinary tract infection in multiple pregnancy
The urinary tract includes the kidneys, the bladder, the tubes (ureters) that carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder, and the tube (urethra) from the bladder to outside the body. Urinary tract infections occur when bacteria (or in rare cases, a virus or fungus) begin to grow in these parts of the body.
Pregnancy increases your risk of having a urinary tract infection (UTI). UTIs are more common in multiple pregnancies than in pregnancies with one fetus.
A UTI during pregnancy can be difficult to distinguish from the usual symptoms of pregnancy (such as bladder pressure, frequent urination, or back pain). Some pregnant women with UTIs have no symptoms at all.
Symptoms of a urinary tract infection are:
- Frequent urination.
- A feeling of burning during urination.
- Pain or itching during urination.
Your urine will be tested for bacteria at your first prenatal checkup and at 32 weeks of gestation, as well as whenever you have symptoms of an infection.
| Author: | Debby Golonka, MPH | Last Updated: July 24, 2007 |
| Medical Review: | Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine Gregory A L Davies, MD, FRCSC, FACOG - Maternal-Fetal Medicine | |
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