Pregnancy and Urinary Tract Infections

Pregnant women do not seem more likely to get UTIs than other women. However, when a UTI does occur in pregnant women, it more likely to travel to the kidneys. Scientists think that hormonal changes and shifts in the position of the urinary tract during pregnancy make it easier for bacteria make it easier for bacteria to travel up the ureters to the kidneys. For this reason, many health care providers test a pregnant woman's urine during her routine visits. If you have symptoms of a UTI while you are pregnant, visit your health care provider right away because the infection could cause premature delivery of your baby and other risks such as high blood pressure.