Asymptomatic bacteriuria screened by catheterized samples at pregnancy term in women undergoing cesarean delivery

The objective of this study was to assess the frequency of urinary tract infection (UTI) with urine samples obtained via catheterization among women undergoing cesarean delivery at term pregnancy.

A cross-sectional study involving 159 women in whom cesarean delivery was conducted at term pregnancy after a regular follow-up from first to third trimester. For screening and diagnosis of UTI during antenatal period, the authors used dipstick test and microscopic urinalysis, and urine culture was used in the presence of symptomatic UTI unresponsive to initial antibiotic therapy. A urine sample was obtained immediately after insertion of Foley catheter for urine dipstick test, microscopic urinalysis, and culture during cesarean delivery. Obstetric and UTI data were recorded.

Of 159 pregnant women, 95 (59.8%) did not develop UTI during antenatal care. There was no patient with symptomatic UTI at the admission for cesarean delivery. The authors found UTI with urine dipstick and microscopic urinalysis in 12 patients and of them, four patients had no history of UTI, and all the remaining eight patients had asymptomatic UTI during antenatal follow-up. UTI according to urine culture was encountered in three patients, two of them had one episode of UTI, and one had two episodes of UTI during antenatal follow-up.

After regular antenatal follow-up screening with urine dipstick, microscopic urinalysis, and counseling of pregnant women regarding UTIs, the frequency of bacteriuria decreases considerably during cesarean delivery.