What is postpartum urethritis?

Women are a relatively special group because their physical fitness is relatively poor, and after giving birth, their body's resistance and immunity will decline rapidly. Therefore, in daily life, women must learn to recuperate and take care of themselves in all aspects. So what is postpartum urethritis? Urethritis is a relatively serious disease. Let us learn about it together.

Postpartum urinary tract infection is a common complication after childbirth. Urinary tract infection (UTI) is a disease caused by various pathogens invading the urinary system. According to the type of pathogen, it can be divided into bacterial UTI, fungal UTI and viral UTI; according to the site of infection, it can be divided into upper urinary tract infection (pyelonephritis, ureteritis) and lower urinary tract infection (cystitis, urethritis); according to the presence or absence of clinical symptoms, it can be divided into symptomatic UTI and asymptomatic UTI; according to the presence or absence of urinary tract abnormalities (such as obstruction, stones, deformities, vesicoureteral reflux, etc.), it can be divided into complicated UTI and uncomplicated UTI.

UTI is a common infectious disease that can occur in all populations, but is more common in women, especially those of childbearing age. 20%-30% of women have suffered from UTI in their lifetime. According to a domestic survey of more than 30,000 women, the incidence rate is 2.05%, and postpartum women are particularly prone to it.

During pregnancy: ① the ureter, renal pelvis and renal calyx dilate; ② the incidence of vesicoureteral reflux increases, and reflux can allow bacteria in the bladder to ascend with urine; ③ the carbohydrate content in urine during pregnancy increases, becoming a good culture medium for bacteria, which helps bacterial growth; ④ in the late pregnancy, the fetal head compresses the bladder and the lower end of the ureter, resulting in difficulty in urination. Therefore, pregnant women are susceptible to urinary tract infections. In addition, the urethra may be damaged after delivery, and catheters are inserted multiple times during delivery, causing congestion in the pelvic urethra. The resistance of women in the puerperium is reduced, which can easily lead to bacterial invasion, so they are more susceptible to infection. The main pathogens are Escherichia coli, followed by streptococci and staphylococci, and mixed infections are often seen clinically.

1. Pyelonephritis: Chills and high fever occur after delivery, with body temperature reaching above 39°C. Reflex vomiting and low back pain may occur, more commonly on the right side. The pain radiates along the ureter toward the bladder, so patients sometimes complain of lower abdominal pain. Some have symptoms of bladder irritation, such as frequent urination, urgency, and pain when urinating, and there is tenderness or percussion pain in the kidney area. Laboratory examination may reveal a large amount of bacteriuria.

2. Cystitis: The clinical manifestations of puerperal cystitis are basically the same as those of general non-pregnancy cystitis, including frequent urination, painful and urgent urination, and fever. There are frequent urination, painful urination, urgency, and fever. However, the symptoms of painful urination are more obvious, while the symptoms of urgency are milder, which may be related to the low bladder tension and poor sensitivity after childbirth.

What is postpartum urethritis? Through the above reading, we can see that urethritis is mainly caused by accidental infection of women. Therefore, for women, after giving birth, they should not only pay attention to dietary issues, but also pay attention to physical health issues. Do not have sexual intercourse within a short period of time after giving birth.