Incidence of Asymptomatic Urinary Tract Infection in Pregnant Women in Obio Cottage Hospital, Port Harcourt, River State, Nigeria

Abstract

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are a common problem in women at all stages of life; this is particularly true of pregnant women. UTIs are especially important topics in pregnancy, as this may cause complications such as pyelonephritis and hypersensitive disease of pregnancy, anemia, chronic renal failure, premature delivery, and fatal mortality. Knowledge about the type of pathogens responsible for urinary tract infections and their resistance patterns may help the clinician to choose the correct empirical treatment. Midstream urine specimen was collected in a sterile universal bottle from 100 pregnant women who were attending antenatal clinic in Obio Cottage Hospital, Port Harcourt Rivers State, between March and April 2023. The samples were examined by the semiquantitative culture method for the presence of asymptomatic urinary tract infection. The women were non-hospitalized and were residing in Port Harcourt. Of the 100 samples examined, 19 samples had significant bacteriuria. Escherichia coli was the most frequently isolated organisms accounting for 33.3% of the population of the organisms isolated. Other isolates accounted for 81% in the total population and 19% in the population with significant bacteria. E. Coli and Klebsiella sp. were the commonest organisms isolated from the population of pregnant women examined.