Thursday, 19 July 2012

Amoxil for Urinary Tract Infections in Pregnancy

Introduction: UTI or urinary tract infection is amongst the most common problems faced by many pregnant women. Read on to learn about the causes, symptoms and treatment for UTIs. Amoxil  has proved very effective in the treatment of urinary tract infections.

UTI or urinary tract infections are extremely common during pregnancy and are mostly caused by bacteria known as Escherichia coli. An asymptomatic bacteriuria (bacteria in the urine) can result in the development of pyelonephritis or cystitis. Around 2 to 10 percent of pregnancies become complicated due to urinary tract infections. If not treated, 25 to 30 percent of women develop pyelonephritis. Pyelonephritis could be a life threatening condition and cause a greater risk of developing perinatal and neonatal morbidity.

A pregnancy complicated by pyelonephritis is associated with low-birth-weight infants and prematurity. Therefore, pregnant women must be screened for bacteriuria with the help of urine culture at 12 to 16 weeks of gestation. All pregnant women should be screened for bacteriuria and then treated using antibiotics including Cephalexin, Nitrofurantoin or Sulfisoxazole.

Urinary Tract Infection Causes:

UTI is caused because of bacteria in and around the vaginal and rectal skin. The bladder has a tendency to shift position during pregnancy due to the pressure from the uterus and the baby. This makes it easier for bacteria to move up the bladder. When the bacteria find an ideal condition, they multiply and this can lead to a bladder infection. This causes symptoms such as an extremely painful, burning sensation whilst urinating.

UTI during pregnancy occurs in 2 to 4% of pregnant women. This occurs due to the hormonal changes which develop in a woman's body. An increase in the amounts of progesterone within the body, relaxes the muscles in the bladder as well as urinary tract. This makes it easier for bacteria to travel up to the partially compressed bladder and thus cause a bladder infection during pregnancy.

Urinary Tract Infection Symptoms:

After pregnant women develop urinary tract infections, they might experience different symptoms. Urinary tract infection symptoms during pregnancy might include some or perhaps all of the following symptoms including:

·      Pain, discomfort and burning while urinating
·      Abdominal cramps
·      Blood or mucus in the urine
·      Pelvic discomfort
·      Sensation of wanting to urinate urgently
·      Fever
·      Urge to urinate more frequently than usual
·      Nausea and vomiting
·      Foul-smelling urine
·      Back pain

Amoxil for UTI in Pregnancy:

It is important that women seek urgent treatment since the infection can spread towards the kidneys and result in kidney infections. Healthcare professionals may prescribe antibiotics in order to treat UTI in women who are pregnant. Antibiotics meant for urinary tract infection may need to be taken for only 3 to 7 days.

Amoxil (Amoxicillin) has proved very effective in the treatment of urinary tract infections. Amoxil is a part of a group of antibiotics referred to as penicillins. Nearly all antibiotics work in the same way and have an identical mechanism. They don’t kill the bacteria, but stop them from multiplying. This can be achieved by preventing the bacteria from forming the walls that surround them. Amoxil is utilized for the treatment of different types of bacterial infections which includes urinary tract infections, bronchitis, pneumonia, tonsillitis, ear infections, skin infections and gonorrhea.