A patient at 32 weeks' gestation comes to the clinic with urinary burning and frequency. The nurse explains that urinary tract infections are common in pregnancy due to:

Question

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Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are common during pregnancy due to ureteral atonia and stasis of urine. Ureteral atonia, which is a decrease in the tone of the ureter, leads to reduced urine flow. This, combined with the compression of the ureters by the enlarging uterus, can cause stasis of urine, providing an environment conducive to bacterial growth and infection. Increased glomerular filtration rate, excretion of amino acids, and increased clearance of urea are physiological changes in pregnancy that do not directly contribute to the increased risk of UTIs.

A Patient at 32 Weeks' Gestation Comes to the Clinic