Asymptomatic Bacteriuria and its Antibiotic Susceptibility Patterns among Pregnant Women in a Tertiary Care Center

Abstract

Background: Occurrence of asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) in 2–11% of pregnant women is a major predisposition to the development of pyelonephritis, which is associated with significant maternal and fetal complications. Aim : The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of ASB among pregnant women, to report the most common organisms causing ASB, along with their antibiotic sensitivity patterns. Materials and Methods A total of 250 asymptomatic pregnant women were screened for ASB by urine culture by standard microbiological procedures and the antibiotic sensitivity patterns recorded. Results Of the 250 pregnant women screened, 27 (10.8%) had ASB. The most common organism was Escherichia coli (52%) followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus (19%). Majority of the uropathogens were found to be sensitive to nitrofurantoin (81%) and ciprofloxacin (63%). Conclusions: The high prevalence of ASB among pregnant women (10.8%) in our center demands the need for routine screening of the pregnant women and treat them appropriately, to reduce the risk of complications associated with ASB.