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Urinary Tract Infections During
Pregnancy and Mental Retardation
Urinary tract infections are the most common medical
complication of pregnancy. Numerous studies in the past 30 years have shown a connection
between urinary tract infections during pregnancy and adverse outcomes. Researchers
recently looked at the association between urinary tract infection treatments and mental
retardation or developmental delay in infants. The study is published in this month's
Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Researchers analyzed records from more than 40,000
mother/infant pairs. There were 2,875 cases of mental retardation or developmental delay
in infants. By checking medical records, researchers were able to separate the women into
three different groups:
Women who had a urinary tract infection and did not take
a prescription. Women who had a urinary tract infection and took a prescription.
Women who did not have a urinary tract infection.
Previous studies did not determine the cause of mental
retardation in up to 50 per cent of the cases. In this study, researchers were not focused
on the cause; instead they focused on the treatment of a diagnosed urinary tract
infection.
Researchers conclude there's evidence that failure to
take antibiotics to treat a urinary tract infection is associated with mental retardation
and developmental delay in an infant. |
