UTI(Urinary Tract Infection) and Ayurveda Management

Urinary tract infection is a common bacterial infection that occurs during pregnancy. During pregnancy and puerperium, the symptomatic infection constitutes most number of visits to obstetricians. The prevalence of symptomatic and asymptomatic bacteriuria is 19.87% and 7.37% respectively. The main cause of UTI during pregnancy are (i) higher levels of the hormone progesterone decrease the muscle tone of the ureters, (ii) uterus enlargement which ultimately compresses the ureters, (iii) bladder also loses tone during pregnancy. These changes takes longer time for passing urine through urinary tract, giving chance to bacterial infection and multiplication and becomes easier for the bacteria to causes upward infection. Pain and discomfort in groin, burning urination, frequent and uncontrolled urges and fever are the main symptoms of UTI. If not treated UTI may cause acute Pyelonephritis in third trimester, preterm labour and low birth weight. Antibiotics are having many side effects so they are not safe during pregnancy. In Ayurveda, any type of discomfort during urination and lower tract infection problems are considered as Mutrakricchra. In the explanation of Garbhini vyadhi, Mutrakricchra has not been described but Acharya Kashyapa has opined that the aetiopathology of the physical and psychological disorders that occurs in pregnant women are same as in normal individuals. Various Ayurvedic medicines like Chandanaasava, Usheeraasava Trinapanchamoola Kwatha, Shatavaryadi Ghanvati and Brihat Dhatryadi Ghanvati are useful in management of UTI during pregnancy.