Conhecimentos, atitudes e práticas de gestantes usuárias do Sistema Único de Saúde em relação à infecção urinária

Abstract

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) occur when there is the presence and multiplication of bacteria in the urinary system, these microorganisms can cause damage and injury to any part of the individual's urinary system. UTI affects men and women, however in adult life women are more affected, especially in the beginning of sexual life, pregnancy or menopause. Due to the fact of female urethra is smaller and closer to the anus, as well as sexual practices, deficit in self-care for intimate hygiene and behavioral habits favor the occurrence of UTI. During pregnancy, the body undergoes changes that help in the development of UTI, which during this period shows risks for the mother and fetus. The population's level of information usually directly influences their actions, which may interfere with the possibility of developing or not the disease. In this sense, the following work aimed to analyze the knowledge, attitudes and practices of pregnant women assisted by the Unified Health System (SUS), identifying factors that could possibly be associated with the occurrence of UTIs. For data collection, a semi-structured questionnaire was applied through the Google Forms platform. The results showed that, although most pregnant women have correct knowledge about UTI, and also perform appropriate practices, failures were observed, mainly in relation to the practice of intimate hygiene and knowledge about prevention factors, which may be related to the number of pregnant women diagnosed with UTI during pregnancy. The need to apply educational measures to raise awareness and guide pregnant women about the importance of UTI during pregnancy is highlighted.