Cystitis during pregnancy: a distinct clinical entity.

Acute cystitis during pregnancy is a distinct clinical entity characterized by lower urinary tract symptoms, the absence of systemic symptoms, and a positive urine culture. Over a 6-year period there were 9734 deliveries at Wilford Hall USAF Medical Center and 126 patients with acute cystitis, for an incidence of 1.3%. The majority of cystitis patients had a negative initial screening urine culture, and most cases of bladder infection occurred in the second trimester. The most common bacterial isolate was Escherichia coli. Only 17% of cystitis patients had a recurrence of urinary tract infection. All women were treated as outpatients with oral antimicrobial agents.