Why are pregnant women prone to urinary tract infection and vaginal bleeding?

Pregnant women have a hard time. In addition to going through the hardships of ten months of pregnancy, they also have to pay attention to various aspects of their daily lives to avoid accidentally causing the baby to grow unhealthily in the mother's body. During pregnancy, expectant mothers may occasionally experience urinary urgency and frequent urination, but the causes of urinary urgency and frequent urination are different at different stages of pregnancy. When these situations occur, we need to go to the hospital for timely treatment.

Why are pregnant women more prone to urinary tract infections?

The female urethra is relatively wide and straight, only a few centimeters long; the opening is close to the vaginal opening and anus, where there are often secretions and excretions, which can easily contaminate the urethra, and bacteria can ascend along the urethra and cause infection. Generally speaking, the chance of urinary tract infection in women is 10 times that of men, and the incidence of urinary tract infection in pregnant women is as high as 7%-10%.

1. Ureteral dilation. Under the influence of progesterone, the smooth muscle of the urethral wall relaxes and the peristalsis weakens. In the middle and late stages of pregnancy, the enlarged uterus will also compress the bladder and ureters. Under the pressure of the gradually enlarging uterus, the ureters will passively dilate. At the same time, under the action of progesterone, the muscle tension of the ureteral wall decreases, and the peristalsis weakens and slows down, which is conducive to the upward flow of bacteria. These will increase the chance of urinary tract infection.

2. High sugar content in urine During pregnancy, the estrogen level in pregnant women rises, which will cause the acidity of the urethra to decrease. At the same time, the glucose, amino acids and other nutrients in urine increase after pregnancy, which also increases the chance of urethral bacterial reproduction;

3. Increased secretions During pregnancy, vaginal secretions will increase accordingly, and the acidity and alkalinity of the secretions will decrease due to the influence of hormones, which is conducive to the growth of local bacteria and becomes the source of infection.

Urinary tract infection causes great harm to pregnant women and fetuses, specifically:

1. When the lower urinary tract is infected, pregnant women may have symptoms such as frequent urination, urgency, pain, and sometimes hematuria.

2. If lower urinary tract infection is not treated actively, bacteria can invade the ureter and renal pelvis, causing upper urinary tract infection.

3. Upper urinary tract infection can cause pyelonephritis, and some can even cause acute pyelonephritis.

4. When suffering from acute pyelonephritis, pregnant women may have symptoms of systemic poisoning, such as chills, high fever, back pain, etc. A large amount of medication will be used to treat this disease. If the pregnancy continues, the fetus may be deformed or cause congenital diseases.

5. Acute pyelonephritis can induce pregnancy poisoning, causing premature birth, weight loss, and even death of the baby.

6. Even if the delivery is successful, it will continue to affect the mother and baby, and even cause the mother's kidney function to decline.

Symptoms of Urinary Tract Infection:

Once a urinary tract infection occurs, the patient may experience symptoms such as painful urination, frequent urination, urgency (inability to hold urine), lower abdominal discomfort, and sometimes hematuria. If an expectant mother with a urinary tract infection is not treated completely or delays seeking medical attention, coupled with changes in the endocrine system and uterine growth after pregnancy, urethral compression will increase, causing urine retention, which can then develop into acute pyelonephritis, with symptoms such as low back pain, fever, shivering and vomiting. Therefore, pregnant women should seek medical attention immediately if they experience any of the following symptoms:

1. Persistent or severe abdominal pain.

2. Persistent or severe nausea and vomiting.

3. Vaginal bleeding, regardless of the amount.

4. Pain and burning sensation when urinating and fever over 37.8℃.

9 ways to get rid of urinary tract infections:

1. Pregnant mothers should develop the habit of drinking more water. Drinking more water and urinating more often can continuously flush the urinary tract, making it difficult for bacteria to grow and reproduce;

2. Pay special attention to the cleanliness of the vulva. The residual urine on the vulva must be sucked dry after each urination, otherwise bacteria will easily multiply;

3. Regardless of whether you are urinating or defecating, you should rinse your private parts from front to back with running water (preferably warm water), and then wipe them clean from front to back with a boiled clean towel.

4. It is best to change your underwear once a day. The underwear should be made of pure cotton, boiled and disinfected, and preferably exposed to the sun.

5. Pants should be loose. Pants that are too tight will constrict the vulva, making it easy for bacteria to invade the urethra.

6. Keep bowel movements smooth to reduce pressure on the ureter.

7. You should sleep on your side to reduce pressure on the ureter and ensure smooth urine flow.

8. It is also important to strengthen nutrition and enhance physical fitness.

9. The diet should be light. You can eat foods that clear away heat and dampness, such as winter melon, watermelon, and green vegetables. You can also make soup with lotus seeds, red beans, mung beans, etc., which can not only help reduce the occurrence of urinary tract infections, but also protect the fetus.

Through the detailed introduction and understanding mentioned above, we know that the reasons for expectant mothers to have urinary urgency and frequent urination are different at different stages of pregnancy, and the reasons may be physiological or pathological. This requires expectant mothers to seek medical attention in time when urinary urgency and frequent urination occur. We hope that the above information will be helpful to expectant mothers.