Prevalence and Risk Factors of Urinary Tract Infection among Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Clinics at Some Private Sectors in El Jabal Al Akhdar, Al-Byda, Libya

• Najwa Belhamad

  Department of Microbiology, College of Medicine, Omar Al-Mukhtar University, AL Bayda, Libya

  Author

• Boshra Fathalla

  Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine, Omar Al-Mukhtar University, AL Bayda, Libya

  Author

• Marfoua Ali

  Department of Zoology, College of Science, Omar Al-Mukhtar University, AL Bayda, Libya

  Author

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are the most common bacterial infection, affecting about 8% of pregnant women. Untreated, they risk fetal preterm birth, low birth weight, death, preeclampsia, maternal anemia, and renal failure. To define the occurrence and risk factors of urinary tract infection during pregnancy and the microorganism associated with it. Cross-sectional research has been performed on 100 females at private clinics in Libya from January 2025 to September 2025. Urine cultures have been carried out for pregnant women. UTI prevalence was 80%, predominantly Escherichia coli (46.3%), followed by Staphylococcus (20%) and Streptococcus (18.8%) spp. Infected women were older (median 29 years, P=0.034), more symptomatic (76.3%, P<0.001), and had higher pus cell counts (P=0.041). No significant associations existed with residence, education, gestational age, trimester, gravidity, parity, or occupation. Multivariate logistic regression identified symptoms as the sole independent predictor (AOR equal to 5.31, ninety-five percent CI: 1.59–17.77, P-value equal to 0.007). Isolates showed high sensitivity to ciprofloxacin (77.5%) and ceftriaxone (65%), but resistance to amoxicillin (46.3%) and ampicillin (38.8%). In conclusion, High UTI prevalence (80%, predominantly E. coli) among pregnant women at Libyan private antenatal clinics. Infected women were older, more symptomatic, and showed higher pus cell counts. There were no significant associations with residence, education, gestational age, trimester, gravidity, parity, or occupation, though housewives had more negative cultures.

• pdf