[Urinary tract infections and pregnancy]

Infection of the urinary tract is the most common type of infection in pregnant women, with a prevalence ranging from 5% to 10%. The majority of symptomatic upper urinary tract infections occur in women with pre-existent asymptomatic bacteriuria, due to the changes the urinary tract undergoes during pregnancy. In order to avoid potentially serious complications affecting maternal and fetal health, an early diagnosis followed by immediate and adequate care is mandatory. The authors have developed a procedure protocol based on the retrospective evaluation of all urinary tract infection cases during pregnancy, diagnosed in Dr. Alfredo da Costa Maternity Hospital during the year of 1994. The purpose of this protocol is to make the procedures as uniform and as adequate as possible, thus lowering the probability of complications.