(Danielle Rush/ Health News) — Pregnant people have a higher risk for many common health ailments due to physical body changes during pregnancy. Urinary tract infections (UTI) and the development into a more serious infection of the kidney, called pyelonephritis, is the most common medical condition seen in pregnant people.
A urinary tract infection or UTI is a bacterial infection of the bladder and related body structures. Cystitis is an infection of the lower urinary tract involving only the bladder. Pyelonephritis, or a kidney infection, occurs when bacteria travel up the ureters from the bladder to the kidneys.
Approximately 40% of people with vaginas will have at least one UTI in their lifetime, with 10% suffering yearly infections. Comorbidities, including diabetes, age, pregnancy, a compromised immune system, and structural abnormalities, can complicate UTIs.
The rate of UTIs among people with vaginas is high because of the closeness of the anus to the urethral opening and a short urethral length. This proximity makes transferring bacteria, most commonly Escherichia coli, from the rectum to the urethra a common occurrence. (…)