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Women who experience an untreated urinary tract infection during their third trimester of pregnancy are at greater risk of delivering a child who suffers from mental retardation or developmental delay.
However, women who take medication within the first few days of a UTI diagnosis are at no increased risk.
Urinary tract infections are a common complication during pregnancy, occurring in about 5% to 7% of pregnancies -- and in 15% to 20% of the women in this study. Risk factors include previous infections before pregnancy, high sexual activity and diabetes.
The researchers found a 40% increased risk for mental retardation among children whose mothers had a UTI during their third trimester. Fetal death was twice as likely among women who had a UTI in the third trimester.
However, the data also showed that women whose infections were treated with antibiotics showed no greater risk of having a child with mental retardation.
Women often feel like martyrs when they don't expose their children to medication during pregnancy. But there's evidence the bacteria will harm the baby. When there are signs of a urinary tract infection, one should get it diagnosed and get treated. These medications have been tested on pregnant women.
UTI symptoms include frequent urges to urinate and a painful, burning sensation during urination.
Journal of Family Practice May 2001;50:433-437
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