Pain during urination and pregnancy
Pain when urinating is not a typical sign of pregnancy at first. Increased pressure on the bladder due to the growing abdomen leads to a frequent urge to urinate in the early months of pregnancy, and the person concerned has to urinate frequently. Pregnant women often have to go out at night as well if the pressure on the bladder becomes too great.
If, however, pain, which is often described as a burning sensation, occurs, this rather indicates a urinary tract infection. A urinary tract infection is an inflammation of the urethra (urethritis) or an inflammation of the bladder (cystitis), which is usually caused by bacteria. The cause of urinary tract infections is usually intestinal bacteria.
The bacteria can enter the urethra, e.g. through lack of intimate hygiene or sexual intercourse. Hypothermia, stress or hormonal fluctuations can also promote a urinary tract infection. During pregnancy, hormonal changes or certain pregnancy hormones lead to a change in the properties of the urinary tract in the sense of an expansion of the structures.
These factors make it easier for the invading bacteria to multiply, thus increasing the probability of a urinary tract infection. If signs of a urinary tract infection such as burning sensation when urinating and frequent urge to urinate occur during pregnancy, a doctor should always be consulted. Some antibiotics can also be taken during pregnancy, but self-medication should be avoided in any case.
In addition, care should be taken to ensure a sufficient drinking quantity (2-3 liters of water) and the bladder should be emptied frequently and always completely. If no adequate therapy is administered, the infection can rise in the ureter and cause inflammation of the renal pelvis (pyelonephritis). The renal pelvis is the collection basin for the urine in the kidneys, from where the collected urine reaches the bladder via the ureters. Inflammation of the renal pelvis is a serious disease which, in addition to permanent kidney damage, can in the worst case lead to premature birth or stillbirth in pregnant women.
