Kidney infection during pregnancy usually starts from the lower urinary tract (ureters and bladder). Bacteria enter the body through the urethra and begin to multiply and spread in the bladder.

From there, the bacteria are transferred to the kidneys through the ureter. As mentioned, bacteria such as E. coli often cause infections. However, any serious infection in the bloodstream can spread to the kidneys and cause acute pyelonephritis.

Some diseases of the urinary system, such as kidney stones, can also lead to kidney infection.

What increases the risk of kidney infection during pregnancy?

Pyelonephritis during pregnancy is more common in the second trimester of pregnancy.

Mothers who experience the first pregnancy are at greater risk of developing pyelonephritis.

The young age of the mother is also a risk factor for pyelonephritis in pregnancy.

Pyelonephritis in pregnancy is mostly unilateral and occurs in the right kidney, but in a quarter of cases it affects both kidneys.

Any problem that interrupts the normal flow of urine will increase the risk of kidney infection during pregnancy and acute pyelonephritis. For example, any abnormality of the urinary system increases the risk of urinary tract infection.

Also, women's urethra is much shorter than men's, so it is easier for bacteria to enter their body. This will expose women more to kidney infections.

• The following people are more susceptible to acute kidney infection:
• People who have kidney stones or urinary tract obstruction.
• people with suppressed immune systems, such as diabetics, HIV (AIDS) and cancer patients
• people with urinary reflux (a condition in which a small amount of urine returns from the bladder to the ureter and kidney)

How is this disease diagnosed?

The doctor will first examine your symptoms and history. He will check you for fever, tenderness in the abdomen and back. If he suspects a kidney infection, he requests a urine test.

Urine test helps the specialist to diagnose kidney infection in pregnancy. The presence of white blood cells and bacteria in the urine are signs of infection. The doctor can make a definitive diagnosis using urine bacterial culture.

Of course, there are other ways to diagnose this disease, but not all of them can be used during pregnancy. Kidney ultrasound can be done without worry during pregnancy.

Kidney infection treatment

Kidney infection in pregnancy is treated aggressively. Oral nitrofurantoin and cephalexin are good antibiotic options for treating lower urinary tract infection. But in pyelonephritis, pregnant women should be hospitalized and injectable antibiotics should be used.

If you get this disease, you should take it seriously, kidney infection during pregnancy is not a disease that you can handle alone and with home methods.

In this case, you will endanger your health and the health of the fetus. You may have to be hospitalized for a few days. During these days, the medical team will monitor the health of you and the fetus.

And you should know that despite treatment, recurrent infection can happen, and in these cases, after re-treatment, nitrofurantoin tablets should be taken every night at bedtime until the end of pregnancy to prevent re-infection.

Does pyelonephritis during pregnancy affect the health of the fetus?

Having a kidney infection during pregnancy can cause bacteria to spread in the bloodstream. Women who get kidney infection during pregnancy are at risk of birth premature and low birth weight babies.

complications of pyelonephritis in pregnancy

Kidney infection during pregnancy can lead to acute kidney damage, respiratory failure syndrome (ARDS), premature birth, anemia (hemolysis), entry of microbes into the bloodstream (bacteremia) and septic shock.

For this reason, the treatment of pyelonephritis in pregnancy requires hospitalization and careful monitoring of the mother and fetus.

How can this disease be prevented?

To prevent kidney infection during pregnancy, be sure to pay special attention to cleaning the genital area. Be sure to drink enough water throughout the day. Don't let yourself reach the limit of thirst and then think about drinking water.

If you receive enough fluids, the color of urine will be bright yellow and transparent. Also, drinking water will prevent constipation during pregnancy. Most women face this problem in the first months of pregnancy.

Avoid keeping urine separately.

Does kidney infection during pregnancy lead to miscarriage?

Kidney infection during pregnancy is considered as a serious disease. Fever and chills will complicate the situation. If diagnostic and therapeutic measures are not performed in this field on time, there is a possibility of losing the fetus.

Don't be afraid by reading this article. Each person's body has its own unique conditions. To maintain the health of yourself and the fetus, a specialist doctor will be your best advisor. If you suspect this, be sure to inform the doctor.