What is the danger of urethritis in pregnant women

Pregnancy for a woman is a joyful event, because as a result a new person will be born! However, pregnancy is a difficult test for a woman’s body, since during this period it needs to support not only itself, but also to create optimal favorable conditions for the development of a new life. All this leads to a temporary decrease in immunity, since the embryo formed as a result of fertilization is initially perceived by the immune system as a foreign body, and in order to preserve it, it is necessary to suppress the defense mechanisms of the woman’s body. As a result, the risk of various inflammatory and infectious diseases increases. Urethritis during pregnancy is one of the most common diseases.  

What is urethritis?

Urethritis is an inflammatory disease that affects the urethra. The reasons that contribute to its development are divided into infectious and non-infectious. 

Infectious urethritis develops under the influence of chlamydia, ureaplasma , gonococci, which before pregnancy could be present in a woman’s body, but were suppressed by the immune system. Non-infectious urethritis develops most often as a result of the squeezing action that the growing fetus has on the urethra.

In its course, urethritis in pregnant women is practically no different from that of other, non-pregnant women. One of the features of the disease can be subtle symptoms.  

Women may be bothered by a slight, pulling pain in the urethra, which she may not pay attention to for a long time. Another main symptom of urethritis is frequent urination, which may be accompanied by discomfort, burning, and discharge from the urethra.

The danger of developing infectious urethritis for a pregnant woman is that the infection, if personal hygiene is not observed, can get into the genital tract and penetrate the amniotic fluid. Ureaplasma and chlamydia have a similar ability .

With the penetration of bacteria into the fetal bladder, the risk of infection of the fetus sharply increases. If pathogens remain in the birth canal, there is a chance of infection of the baby during childbirth. The consequence of this is conjunctivitis, blepharitis. With the penetration of infection into the umbilical wound, blood damage is possible.

Non-infectious urethritis is dangerous because it can develop into more severe diseases of the woman’s genitourinary system.  

Treatment. Prevention of urethritis

The diagnosis of urethritis is made on the basis of the patient’s complaints, a visual examination by a gynecologist, as well as tests that pregnant women take almost every month.

The treatment regimen depends on the nature of the urethritis. So, infectious urethritis is treated only in a hospital. The patient is individually selected antibiotics that will have the least effect on the fetus with the best therapeutic effect. Local treatment is also prescribed in the form of douching the urethra, special trays. Non-infectious urethritis can be treated at home after consulting and prescribing certain medications and procedures with your doctor.  

Prevention of urethritis consists in observing the rules of personal hygiene, stimulating immunity, avoiding hypothermia, proper nutrition, regular check-ups with a doctor and timely treatment of the first symptoms, because the disease is easier to prevent than to cure.

Do not forget that urethritis can significantly affect both the health of the unborn child and the condition of his mother. That is why you should not start a painful condition or try to cure it yourself. When the first symptoms of urethritis appear, it is best to immediately consult a doctor so as not to harm yourself or your baby.