Objectives: To review the topic of urinary tract infections (UTI) during pregnancy and menopause. UTI during pregnancy and menopause have great relevance in the field of urologic infections; during pregnancy because of the particularities involved in its diagnosis and treatment and potential consequences to the fetus and mother; menopausal UTI because this group of women is numerous and represents a growing section of the general population pyramid, due to the aging of population in developed countries associated with longer life expectancies and grater demand for quality of life.
Methods and results: We performed a bibliographic review combined with our personal experience. During pregnancy there are several functional and anatomical changes that condition not only a higher risk of UTI, but also an additional treatment difficulty due to antimicrobial pharmacokinetics alterations and potential damage to the fetus. Despite efforts to find an easy, fast and reliable test for bacteriuria detection, urine culture continues to be the first diagnostic test for its detection and follow up during pregnancy. Penicillin derivates and cephalosporins continue to be the first choice because their lack of adverse effects on either fetus or mother. Alternative options like phosphomicin and aztreonam although they show low toxicity there is need for more studies supporting their suitability for the treatment of pregnancy UTIs. Menopausal female UTI have their different features from those in younger women. Hormonal alterations derived from gonadal atrophy associate functional changes in the vaginal ecosystem, making it prone to enterobacteriaceae colonization as a first step up to the urinary tract. This associated with genitourinary tract anatomical alterations inherent t aging make UTI extraordinary prevalent in this growing segment of population. Treatment lines focus on hormonal alteration correction and proper antimicrobial prophylaxis and vaccines in a close future.
Conclusions: UTIs during pregnancy and menopause have differential features that require different diagnostic and treatment approaches.