Incidence of Significant Bacteriuria among Pregnant Women in a Teaching Hospital of Rural Setup

This study was carried out to determine the prevalence of asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnant women attending a teaching hospital in rural setup.

A total of 600 women were recruited for this study. A total of 200 antenatal women were clinically identified to have no signs and symptoms of UTI, 200 antenatal women were having signs and symptoms of UTI, and 200 were non-pregnant women that were studied as controls. Clean catch midstream urine samples were collected from each patient into a sterile universal container from Gynecology and obstetrics department and general medicine department. The urine samples were examined microscopically and by the cultural method. Identification of isolates was carried out by a standard microbiological technique.

A total of 272 (45.3%) were positive for significant bacteriuria. There was a significant difference in the prevalence of asymptomatic bacteriuria with respect to age (P< 0.0001). Trimester did not show any significant difference (P = 0.2006) in the prevalence of asymptomatic bacteriuria. Escherichia coli was the most predominant organism followed closely by Klebsiella species. Nitrofurantoin, ampicillin, and levofloxacin were mostly used antibiotics.

Asymptomatic bacteriuria is not uncommon among antenatal patients in the population studied. Routine urine cultural test should be carried out on all antenatal patients in order to identify any unsuspecting infection. This measure will go a long way in reducing maternal and obstetric complications associated with pregnancy.