Publication:

A cross-sectional study on asymptomatic bacteriuria among antenatal women attending an urban tertiary health care center in Southern India

Background Asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) in pregnancy is a treatable risk factor for preterm delivery. India accounts for the highest preterm birth incidence in the world according to the WHO census released in November 2016. This study was aimed at finding the prevalence of asymptomatic bacteriuria, the spectrum of bacteria involved and the susceptibility pattern for the antimicrobials in the antenatal women attending a tertiary care hospital in urban Southern India.

Methods One hundred and eighty ante-natal patients without symptoms of ongoing urinary tract infection were enrolled to this study. Clean midstream urine sample was collected in a wide mouthed container and sample was analyzed by standardized microbiological testing techniques.

Results Out of the 180 ante-natal women included in the study, 11(6.1%) patients were found to have insignificant bacteriuria and 38(21.1%) had a significant bacteriuria. E. coli was the most frequently isolated organism and about 95% of the organisms were sensitive to Nitrofurantoin.

Conclusions More than a fifth of all pregnant women have ASB and E. coli is the most frequent pathogen encountered.