Prevalence of Urinary Tract Infections Among Pregnant Women Attending the Antenatal Clinic of a General Hospital in Southwest Nigeria

This research was conducted to ascertain and evaluate the risk factors associated with Urinary tract infections (UTIs) in pregnant women within the study population. Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are predominantly caused by the presence and unimpeded growth of bacteria in the organs of the urinary tract. Upon receiving an ethical approval following a critical review, to commence the research, informed consent forms and a well-structured questionnaires were provided to respondents . A total of Two Hundred (200) participants were sampled. Their Urine samples were collected and cultured on Cystine Lactose Electrolyte Deficient (CLED), MacConkey and Nutrient agar media, using aseptic techniques to investigate the presence of bacterial uropathogens in the urine samples. Culturomic methods and biochemical characterization techniques were used in identification of these bacterial isolates. Factors studied for juxtaposing with the occurrence of bacterial isolates in the urine samples of respondents include participants’ UTI medical history, educational status, gravidity status, pregnancy stage, sensation during urination and frequency of urination. Of all these factors, the frequency of urination and painful sensation during urination were found to be of statistical significance (p < 0.05) with the presence of bacterial isolates in urine samples analysed. The bacterial isolates recovered from the urine samples were Klebsiella pneumoniae, Citrobacter freundii, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterobacter spp., Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis, Micrococcus spp., Klebsiella oxytoca, Serratia spp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus spp., Providencia rettegeri, Proteus vulgaris, Staphylococcus saprophyticus and Morganella morganii. Pregnant women with medical history of UTI should seek medical advice and attention in their first trimester.