Daily intake of 100 mg ascorbic acid as urinary tract infection prophylactic agent during pregnancy

OCHOA-BRUST, GONZALO JAVIER
FERNÁNDEZ, ALMA ROSA
VILLANUEVA-RUIZ, GERSON JESÚS
VELASCO, RAYMUNDO
TRUJILLO-HERNÁNDEZ, BENJAMÍN
VÁSQUEZ, CLEMENTE

¹Centro Universitario de Investigaciones Biomédicas y Facultad de Enfermería, Universidad de Colima, Colima, México
²Coordinación de Investigación, Servicios de Salud del Estado de Colima, Colima, México
³Unidad de Investigación, Hospital General de Zona No. 1, I.M.S.S. Colima, Colima, Colima, México

Correspondence: Clemente Vásquez, Universidad de Colima, Centro Universitario de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Avenida 25 de julio # 965, Colonia Villa de San Sebastián, 28040-Colima, Colima, México [email protected]

(Received 28 September 2006; accepted 10 February 2007)

Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica 86(7):p 783-787, July 2007. | DOI: 10.1080/00016340701273189

Abstract

Objective.

To evaluate the role a daily intake of 100 mg of ascorbic acid plays in urinary infection prophylaxis during pregnancy.

Methods and materials.

A single-blind clinical trial was carried out on pregnant women randomly assigned to the following treatment groups — Group A: oral treatment with ferrous sulphate (200 mg per day), folic acid (5 mg per day) and ascorbic acid (100 mg per day) for 3 months, and Group B: oral treatment with ferrous sulphate (200 mg per day) and folic acid (5 mg per day) for 3 months. All patients were clinically evaluated, and a urine culture was carried out each month for a period of 3 months. The χ² and odds ratio were used to compare effects with and without ascorbic acid, and statistical significance was considered at p<0.05.

Results.

Global frequency of urinary infections was 25%. The presence of urinary infections in Group A (12.7%) was significantly lower than in Group B (29.1%), (p = 0.03, OR = 0.35, CI 95% = 0.13–0.91).

Conclusions.

Daily intake of 100 mg of ascorbic acid played an important role in the reduction of urinary infections, improving the health level of the gestating women. We recommend additional vitamin C intake for pregnant women in populations which have a high incidence of bacteriuria and urinary infections.