Prevalence of urinary tract infection among pregnant women attending antenatal care clinics in Benadir hospital Mogadishu Somalia

Abstract

Background
Urinary tract infection (UTI) is a common infection in women, and it is more likely to occur during pregnancy due to mechanical
and hormonal changes in pregnant women. Urinary tract infections can cause many complications for both mother and fetus.
Objective. The objective of the study was to assess the prevalence of Urinary tract infection among pregnant women attending
ANC clinics. Methods. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among pregnant women who attended ANC Benadir
hospital, Mogadishu, Somalia, from April to May 2021. A total of 154 pregnant women participated in this study. A purposive
nonprobability sampling technique was employed to select samples from the population. Structured questionnaires were
distributed among participants. A urine test was done using a rapid dipstick and the data were analyzed using the SPSS version
(20.0). Result. Most of the participants 110 (71.4%) were 21-35. The prevalence of UTI among pregnant women was
121(78.6%.). the prevalence was high in the 21-35 years age group 91 (75.2%). Also, there was a high prevalence among illiterate
74(61.2%). 101(83.4%) had a history of UTI. According to the parity 91(81%) of participants were multipara. Lastly, the
prevalence of UTIs was also high in the 3rd trimester of pregnancy 56(46.2%). Conclusion. The prevalence of UTIs among
pregnant women was high. Based on the findings, the prevalence of infection was high among women who were illiterate and
had a previous history of UTI, multipara, and 3rd trimester. Therefore, the study recommends raising awareness among pregnant
women with regular antenatal care in reducing the prevalence of the infection.