Prevalence of bacteriuria in pregnant women attending antenatal clinics of Trinidad and Tobago

ABSTRACT

Urinary tract infection (UTIs) are one of the most common infectious diseases ranking next to upper respiratory tract infection and are often linked with significant morbidity and mortality. They are caused by the colonization of pathogenic microbes along urinary tract as well as tissue invasion of any part of the urinary tract. Microbes that cause UTIs include bacteria, fungi, parasites, protozoa and viruses. Bacteriuria is a problem among the pregnant women. The UTI's in pregnancy has been associated with morbidities such as cystitis, pyelonephrities, pre-eclampsia, polyhydramnios, pre-term birth and low birth weight. This research was undertaken to determine the prevalence of bacteriuria among the pregnant women of Trinidad.