Frequency of urinary tract infection and associated preterm birth among pregnant women aged 15 to 35 years attended at the Inmaculada Concepción District Hospital of Caaguazú, Paraguay
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22165168Keywords:
urinary tract infections, bacteriuria, pregnancy, premature birth, prenatal care, ParaguayAbstract
Introduction: Urinary tract infection is one of the most frequent pregnancy complications and is associated with pyelonephritis and preterm birth. Local data from district hospitals in Paraguay are scarce. The aim was to describe the frequency of urinary tract infection among pregnant women aged 15 to 35 years attended in obstetrics at the Inmaculada Concepción District Hospital of Caaguazú, its clinical forms and characteristics, and the frequency of preterm birth among those affected, between January and June 2025. Materials and methods: Retrospective descriptive observational study based on medical record review. Cases were pregnant women with a clinical or laboratory diagnosis of urinary tract infection. Analysis was descriptive. Results: Of 617 pregnant women attended, 75 had at least one episode (12.2%). Stable union (73.3%), secondary schooling (68.0%), nulliparity (49.3%) and incomplete antenatal care (73.3%) predominated. The most frequent form was asymptomatic bacteriuria (60.3%), followed by cystitis (37.0%); there were 2 cases of pyelonephritis. Nine women (12.0%) had preterm birth, mostly moderate. Conclusions: Infection affected about 1 in 8 pregnant women attended, mainly as asymptomatic bacteriuria and with incomplete antenatal care; preterm birth was the most frequent perinatal complication. The findings support urine culture screening from the first trimester and strengthening antenatal care.References
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