MEDIA
SMART Tips to Minimize a Urinary Tract Infection During Pregnancy
Staying healthy during a pregnancy is every woman’s goal, but between 2 to 4 percent of pregnant women develop urinary tract infections (UTIs). If untreated, a UTI can cause an increased risk for premature contractions and an early delivery. However, some simple measures can greatly reduce your chances of developing a UTI.
Dr. Linda Burke-Galloway—a board-certified ob-gyn, an advocate for quality healthcare and patient safety, and the author of The Smart Mother’s Guide® to a Better Pregnancy—offers these SMART tips to assist you in avoiding complications and bringing home a healthy baby:
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Stop drinking soda while you’re pregnant. Carbonated beverages irritate the bladder and increase the chance of developing an infection. A small adjustment in your diet can bring about huge benefits regarding avoiding an early delivery.
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Make it a habit to empty your bladder as often as you can, especially after being intimate. Although it is not the most romantic thing to do, medical studies have shown that it does work.
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Ask your doctor about your test results. You could have a UTI without having any symptoms. If significant bacteria or protein is found in your urine during a prenatal visit, you must receive antibiotic medicine.
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Report any lower abdominal or back pain. In addition, getting up frequently in the middle of the night for trips to the bathroom requires further evaluation.
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Take all of your prescribed medicine if you are being treated for a UTI. If you stop taking your antibiotics before the end of the prescribed period (usually three days), you could develop the infection again. |
When you use these SMART tips to avoid or treat a UTI, you reduce the chances of developing premature contractions, thus improving your chances of delivering a healthy full-term baby.
For more information on a healthy pregnancy, for a copy of The Smart Mother’s Guide® to a Better Pregnancy, or to interview the author, please contact Mary Ellen Gross, 858-456-0707, sizzle@san.rr.com, or visit www.smartmothersguide.com.
