Hygiene practices and sexual activity associated with urinary tract infection in pregnant women

ABSTRACT

A case-control study determined the association of urinary tract infection [UTI] with genital hygiene practices and sexual activity in pregnant women attending prenatal clinics in Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran. A sample of 100 pregnant women with positive urine cultures [cases] were compared with 150 healthy pregnant women matched for age, social, economic and education status and parity [controls]. Escherichia coli was the infecting organism in 83% of cases. Factors associated with UTI included sexual intercourse > /= 3 times per week [OR = 5.62], recent UTI [OR = 3.27], not washing genitals precoitus [OR = 2.16], not washing genitals postcoitus [OR = 2.89], not voiding urine postcoitus [OR = 8.62] and washing genitals from back to front [OR = 2.96]