Prevalence and Risk Factors of Asymptomatic Bacteriuria Among Pregnant Women Attending a Tertiary Care Hospital in Jaipur, India.

INTRODUCTION

Asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) in pregnancy increases the risk of pyelonephritis, preterm labor, and low birth weight. However, routine screening is not uniformly practiced in India. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of ASB and identify demographic and obstetric risk factors among pregnant women attending a tertiary care hospital in Jaipur, Rajasthan.

METHODS

A laboratory‑based prospective observational study was conducted from May 2025 to September 2025. Clean‑catch midstream urine samples were collected from 310 pregnant women. Significant bacteriuria was defined as ≥10⁵ colony‑forming units/mL. Clinical and demographic data were analyzed using the chi‑square test; p < 0.05 was considered significant.

RESULTS

Of 310 pregnant women, 90 (29.0%) were culture‑positive. Among culture‑positive women, 65 (72.2%) were asymptomatic. The highest culture positivity was seen in the third trimester (50/147, 34.0%) and in women aged 25-29 years (36/117, 30.8%). Primigravida women accounted for 43/90 (47.8%) of positive cases. Statistically significant associations with culture positivity were found for parity (χ² = 7.192, p = 0.027), gravida (χ² = 12.458, p = 0.002), and age group (χ² = 4.884, p = 0.027).

CONCLUSIONS

ASB affects nearly three‑quarters of pregnant women with urinary tract infection in this tertiary care setting. The highest risk is observed in primigravida women and those in the third trimester. Routine urine culture screening for all pregnant women, irrespective of symptoms, is essential to prevent maternal and fetal complications.