What is safe to take for Urinanry tract infections when pregnant?

[KIWIFTM]

Getting frustrated as I'm 20 weeks pg and I'm trying to avoid taking antibiotics since in the long term they kill all the natural bacteria in your body making it easier to get another UT infection!
All the natural support remedies I normally turn to say 'consult your doctor' or 'should not be used if pregnant or breastfeeding'
Cymalon is usually really good, but it says 'don't use unless your doctor advises' I also have another product called uroplex which really works - but no idea if that is safe..urgh!

Cranberry juice?

Cystitis type infection? Sounds daft, but put a hot water bottle on the soles of your feet. It takes away the 'urgent feeling' and makes you feel a bit more human. Otherwise, cranberry juice or call NHS Direct to ask if the medicine you have is safe.

Antibiotics may make you more prone to thrush, but that is not dangerous and easily treated.

Leaving a UTI untreated can lead to a kidney infection which may require hospital treatment, drips, IV antibiotics. In late pregnancy an untreated UTI can cause premature labour.

If you suspect you have a UTI you need to see a health professional who can prescribe something suitable.

Cymalon is not suitable in pregnancy and it would not clear a bacterial infection anyway, it just relieves minor bladder irritation.

I think you actually need antibs or else present a risk to baby in this instance?

MoaningMinnie - very sound advice.

"in the long term they kill all the natural bacteria in your body making it easier to get another UT infection!"

No, they really don't! As moaning says, yes, you can get thrush, but let's get this in perspective!

If you have a UTI, you really need antibiotics.

An untreated UTI can cause pyelonephritis, low birth weight babies, premature delivery and, sadly, occasionally, stillbirth.

I've been prescribed co-amoxiclav and I just have to take it because the consequences of not taking it are worse than the potential risks. Your doctor should reassure you of risks with whatever they prescribe.

Go to the docs, just had a nasty UTI and anti biotics cleared it up in 2 days.

They can be very dangerous in pregnancy x

Have you had your urine tested to know what is causing the infection?

I only ask because a routine urine sample I had earlier in this pregnancy showed that I might have an infection. My midwife sent it off to be tested and it turned out it was Group B Strep.

As well as needing to be treated immediately (the midwives arranged a prescription to be provided for me from an out of hours service that day) it also meant that there were decisions to be made about my labour as GBS can be transferred to the baby shortly before or during labour and if they get a GBS infection then they can become critically ill.

I totally understand why you'd be concerned about taking antibiotics. I'm allergic to penicillian so I need to get alternatives, and the thrush I got afterwards was not fun. But UTIs can be serious and can turn into more serious bladder and kidney infections.

I think it would be a good idea to have your urine tested if you haven't already and please consider taking the antibiotics.

Yes, in general antibiotics can cause trouble when they are over-used in terms of resistance but they are life savers if used in a targetted way when necessary. Get advice from your GP/midwife about how mild or serious your UTI is and see if they offer any alternative treatments - and if you are taking anti-biotics see if they'll offer you any advice about preventing thrush or treating it early.

Meanwhile, make sure you keep hydrated and have cranberry juice or lemon barley water. Hope you get better soon.

Cranberry juice (not the sweetened kind) can see off a UTI, and vit C can also help ward off the infection. Although a UTI must be seen too promptly in pregnancy I do have a cautionary tale about taking antiBs. I was prescribed cephalexin for supposed UTI before the test came back and told to start taking it immediately. Wish I'd never listened. Did as told, had a very severe adverse reaction and waters started leaking and fully ruptured a week later. In the meantime results came back as negative for a UTI. So please make sure antiBs are necessary before you resort to them, although I recognise that not many would have an adverse reaction like I did.

Go see doc and get anti-biotics I've just had a nasty kidney infection because I ignored a UTI whilst on holiday. That's safer for baby than alternative!

I used to have regular UTI's, and have had interstitial cystitis for donkeys years.

The doc told me to start drinking cranberry juice, and it works brilliantly for me. When I start feeling like a UTI is coming on I drink more of it. DD got a UTI, and cranberry juice got rid of it, we didn't need the antib's xxxx

I must emphasise that although a lot of other posters are advocating use of cranberry juice it shouldn't be used in lieu of proper medication whilst pregnant. It is too dangerous to allow infections to fester whilst growing a little one !

Good point silvachick, I didn't mean for my post to come across that way. I wouldn't take any chances whilst pregnant, I would see my GP.

I just meant that for me cranberry juice can hold off UTI's, but I am not pregnant

Spirited wolf. I had a UTI last week and they found out I have strep b so v important to get to Docs I agree x

UTIs in pregnancy can really escalate - to kidney infection which can be v dangerous for you and the baby.

I have recurrent UTIs/bladder irritation and would definitely go the natural route first when not pregnant. But when pregnant, if you have a UTI, you need antibiotics. Some (i.e. penicillin) are known to be very safe in pregnancy.

I had a UTI recently and ended up with a kidney infection, horrible tummy pains/braxton hicks etc - despite going on (the wrong) antibiotics straight away.

It's really not worth risking it in pregnancy IMO. At the slightest sign of thrush you can always use canesten cream. Antibiotics do make you vulnerable to thrush but not to more UTIs AFAIK.

Hope you feel better soon!