Asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnancy and its association with prematurity

The association between asymptomatic bacteriuria of pregnancy and the development of acute urinary tract infection and the occurrence of prematurity and perinatal deaths was studied in a group of 448 patients. The patients were predominantly indigent, multiparous Negroes, a group anticipated to have a high prevalence of asymptomatic bacteriuria. Based on multiple "clean-voided" urine specimens, the incidence of asymptomatic bacteriuria was 7.1 per cent. The incidence of overt urinary tract infection, prematurity, or perinatal mortality was not significantly increased in a comparison of this group with a group of patients who had essentially sterile urine throughout pregnancy.