Urinary tract infection among pregnant women in Al-Mukalla district, Yemen.

Urinary tract infection (UTI) is a common problem in pregnant woman. This study examined the frequency of UTI in 137 pregnant women attending Al Mukalla maternity hospital from January to June 2002. Urine samples were examined for UTI microscopically and by culture, and sensitivity tests were done for the organisms isolated using a range of antibiotics. Information on age, trimester, parity and number of pregnancies were also collected for each woman. This study showed that 30% of the women suffered from UTI; Escherichia coli was the most frequently isolated organism (41.5%), and it was highly susceptible to chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin, ceftizoxime and amikacin. Of the variables examined, 53.7% of the infected women were in the age group 15-24 years, 48.8% were in their 3rd trimester and 75.6% had 1-3 children.