Pregnancy usually brings with it various bladder problems. With pregnancy, the growing uterus coupled with an increased metabolic rate may cause an increase in the frequency of urination. Sometimes, women find that the increased weight of the uterus can stress the pelvic floor muscles and lead to incontinence. With incontinence you find that small amounts of urine are leaked when coughing, sneezing and while during exercise.

Stress incontinence is more prevalent around 38 weeks of pregnancy because of the increase of abdominal pressure while sneezing and coughing. The pelvic muscles cannot bear this pressure, and this leads to leakage of urine. The best remedy for this is practicing kegel exercises during and after pregnancy. Here you have to contract and relax the muscles of the pelvic floor which may seem difficult in the beginning. However, flexing these muscles for only 15 to 30 seconds, about 30 to 60 times a day leads to lots of improvement and relief from stress incontinence.

Some women suffer from an overactive bladder during pregnancy where there are frequent visits to the bathroom. This is because of the pressure of the growing uterus on the bladder, which reduces the holding capacity of the bladder. With this decrease in the room for holding urine, and a growing placenta requiring more blood circulation, there is an increase in blood and thus fluid intake. This leads to the urge to urinate more frequently.

The best thing to be done to limit bathroom trips would be avoiding things that irritate the bladder. This includes chocolate, tea, tomato based sauces, coffee, acidic juices and tea. These different substances have different affects on urinary output; like the acidic juices and sauces are like mild diuretics wherein kidneys tend to draw water form the body, into the bladder.

However there is no point in reducing the intake of water, as this leads to increase in the concentration of urine which in turn promotes the growth of bacteria and can increase the risk of a urinary tract infection.

When pregnant, it is important to drink enough to meet the growing body’s needs. A minimum of eight glasses a day is required, which may change according to a person’s needs. However, if you worry of leakages, you could use a maxi pad or one of the products that catch urinary leakage.

Urinary tract infections are another common bladder problem associated with pregnancy. Pain, burning sensations and urine that is off smelling or cloudy are all signs of acute cystitis which is caused by E. coli bacteria that is found in the colon. Usually urinary tract infections, with symptoms like increased urination, are ignored during pregnancy as a side effect of pregnancy. However, if untreated, urinary tract infections can lead to a low birth weight, and start of pneumonia in infants.

Urinary tract infections are diagnosed by testing urine; and are treated using low-dose antibiotics like ampicilin. It is possible to reduce the risk of UTI by urinating and drinking water after sex. This flushes out any bacteria that may have entered the urethra. It is not advisable to use douche or powder as this irritates the vagina and always practice wiping from front to back after bowel movements.

This avoids the transfer of E. coli from the anal region to the vagina. And most important, never control urine; urinate when you get the urge. This is because holding urine makes it concentrated and this itself is a breeding ground for bacteria and an infection.