Publication:

Asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnancy and its relation to perinatal outcome

Background Asymptomatic bacteriuria is one of the cause for adverse perinatal outcome. Pregnant women are at high risk for UTIs. Women exposed to antepartum urinary tract infection had increased incidence of delivering infants with low birth weights, premature infants, preterm infants with low birth weights, than those who were not exposed. Women exposed to antepartum urinary tract infection were also more likely to experience premature labor, hypertension or preeclampsia and anemia.

Methods Antenatal women attending Geetanjali medical college and hospital, Udaipur, OPD department were screened for asymptomatic bacteriuria and followed up till delivery. Two groups were made one with asymptomatic bacteriuria positive and treated and other with non-asymptomatic bacteriuria patients. Both groups were followed uptill delivery to note their adverse perinatal outcomes. Odds ratios (OR’s) and 95% test based confidence intervals (CI’s) were computed between two groups to note their perinatal and maternal outcomes.

Results Prevalence of asymptomatic bacteriuria was 12.27%. Mean gestational age at which women presented was 14-26 weeks. No incidence of pyelonephritis was found. No significant adverse perinatal outcome was noted amongst patients treated for asymptomatic bacteriuria.

Conclusions Early screening and treatment of ASB when implemented helps in reducing adverse maternal outcome.