Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Journal of the National Medical Association logoLink to Journal of the National Medical Association
. 1998 Mar;90(3):177–180.

Postpartum surveillance of bacteriuria in term vaginal deliveries.

F A Orrett 1, N Premanand 1
PMCID: PMC2608335  PMID: 9549982

Abstract

This study examined the prevalence of bacteriuria in early postpartum period after term vaginal delivery in Trinidad, West Indies. Asymptomatic bacteriuria occurred in 58 (34.5%) of 168 patients tested. The prevalence of bacteriuria was significantly higher in non-catheterized patients than in catheterized patients and occurred more commonly in patients who were 20 to 29 years old and who were primigravida rather than multigravida. Forty-four patients had a history of urinary tract infection; 18 (40.9%) of these patients had positive urine cultures. Although 10 patients had a vaginal discharge in the late third trimester, none presented with postpartum bacteriuria. Because of the high prevalence of postpartum bacteriuria and the potential to progress to pyelonephritis and chronic renal disease, quantitative urine cultures for all postnatal patients and curative treatment for all positive cultures are recommend.

Full text

PDF
177

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Andriole V. T., Patterson T. F. Epidemiology, natural history, and management of urinary tract infections in pregnancy. Med Clin North Am. 1991 Mar;75(2):359–373. doi: 10.1016/s0025-7125(16)30459-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. BRUMFITT W., DAVIES B. I., ROSSER E. I. Urethral catherter as a cause of urinary-tract infection in pregnancy and puerperium. Lancet. 1961 Nov 11;2(7211):1059–1062. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(61)92539-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Chng P. K., Hall M. H. Antenatal prediction of urinary tract infection in pregnancy. Br J Obstet Gynaecol. 1982 Jan;89(1):8–11. doi: 10.1111/j.1471-0528.1982.tb04625.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Dempsey C., Harrison R. F., Moloney A., Darling M., Walshe J. Characteristics of bacteriuria in a homogeneous maternity hospital population. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol. 1992 May 13;44(3):189–193. doi: 10.1016/0028-2243(92)90097-i. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Gilstrap L. C., Leveno K. J., Cunningham F. G., Whalley P. J., Roark M. L. Renal infection and pregnancy outcome. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1981 Nov 15;141(6):709–716. doi: 10.1016/s0002-9378(15)33316-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Harris R. E., Thomas V. L., Hui G. W. Postpartum surveillance for urinary tract infection: patients at risk of developing pyelonephritis after catheterization. South Med J. 1977 Nov;70(11):1273–1275. doi: 10.1097/00007611-197711000-00007. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. KASS E. H. Pyelonephritis and bacteriuria. A major problem in preventive medicine. Ann Intern Med. 1962 Jan;56:46–53. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-56-1-46. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Mittendorf R., Williams M. A., Kass E. H. Prevention of preterm delivery and low birth weight associated with asymptomatic bacteriuria. Clin Infect Dis. 1992 Apr;14(4):927–932. doi: 10.1093/clinids/14.4.927. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Orrett F. A., Balbirsingh M., Carrington L. Socio-biological associations of bacteriuria in pregnancy. West Indian Med J. 1995 Mar;44(1):28–31. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Patterson T. F., Andriole V. T. Bacteriuria in pregnancy. Infect Dis Clin North Am. 1987 Dec;1(4):807–822. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Platt R. Adverse consequences of asymptomatic urinary tract infections in adults. Am J Med. 1987 Jun 26;82(6B):47–52. doi: 10.1016/0002-9343(87)90618-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Rehu M., Nilsson C. G., Haukkamaa M. Significant bacteriuria in the puerperium: a prospective study of the risk factors. Ann Clin Res. 1980 Jun;12(3):112–115. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Shortliffe L. M. Asymptomatic bacteriuria: should it be treated? Urology. 1986 Feb;27(2 Suppl):19–25. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Stray-Pdersen B., Blakstad M., Bergan T. Bacteriuria in the puerperium. Risk factors, screening procedures, and treatment programs. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1990 Mar;162(3):792–797. doi: 10.1016/0002-9378(90)91012-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Sweet R. L. Bacteriuria and pyelonephritis during pregnancy. Semin Perinatol. 1977 Jan;1(1):25–40. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. WHALLEY P. J., MARTIN F. G., PETERS P. C. SIGNIFICANCE OF ASYMPTOMATIC BACTERIURIA DETECTED DURING PREGNANCY. JAMA. 1965 Sep 13;193:879–881. doi: 10.1001/jama.1965.03090110017004. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Zinner S. H., Kass E. H. Long-term (10 to 14 years) follow-up of bacteriuria of pregnancy. N Engl J Med. 1971 Oct 7;285(15):820–824. doi: 10.1056/NEJM197110072851502. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. al-Sibai M. H., Saha A., Rasheed P. Socio-biological correlates of bacteriuria in Saudi pregnant women. Public Health. 1989 Mar;103(2):113–121. doi: 10.1016/s0033-3506(89)80025-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of the National Medical Association are provided here courtesy of National Medical Association

RESOURCES