How often do urinary tract infections occur during pregnancy?
Urinary stasis from the dilated collecting system predisposes to urinary tract infections.
Asymptomatic bacteriuria occurs in 5% of pregnancies. Untreated, 30% of asymptomatic bacteriuria leads to pyelonephritis, which in pregnant women is frequently complicated by decreased kidney function/acute kidney injury, sepsis, and even acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).
Only 2% of healthy women with a negative urine culture on the first screening will develop a urinary tract infection (UTI) later in pregnancy, but women with preexisting kidney disease should be screened monthly.
