Date Posted: July 20, 2026

Author/s: Kristine S. Gamponia-Perona, MD and Alma M. Dela Merced, MD, FPPS, FPSNBM

Background: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) during pregnancy pose significant risks to both maternal and neonatal health. This study determined the association between maternal characteristics and neonatal clinical outcomes in mothers with UTIs.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 151 mothers diagnosed with UTIs during pregnancy. Data from 2021 to 2024 were collected from medical records of a tertiary private hospital, including maternal age, comorbidities, antibiotic use and neonatal outcomes such as preterm birth and clinical sepsis. Statistical analyses using Poisson regression identified significant predictors of adverse neonatal outcomes, reported as adjusted Prevalence Ratio (aPR) and 95% Confidence Interval (95% CI). Results: Most mothers were aged 20-35 years (72.19%). The prevalence of preterm births among the neonates was 21.85%, while 41.06% exhibited clinical sepsis. Key findings indicated that younger maternal age (<19 years) significantly decreased the risk of preterm births (aPR: 0.20, 95% CI: 0.05–0.84). Maternal kidney disease was a strong predictor of preterm births (aPR 14.30, 95% CI: 3.91–52.24) and clinical sepsis (aPR 3.60, 95% CI: 2.02–6.41) in neonates. Maternal autoimmune disease also emerged as a significant predictor, with an increased risk of clinical sepsis (aPR 3.05, 95% CI: 1.81–5.11). Lastly, antibiotic use, particularly ampicillin, was associated with a higher risk of preterm births (aPR 3.26, 95% CI: 1.31–8.07), reflecting the severity of underlying infections.

Conclusion: The study highlights the critical role of maternal age and comorbidities, such as kidney disease, in influencing neonatal outcomes in pregnancies complicated by UTIs. Younger maternal age and kidney disease significantly increase the risks of preterm births and clinical sepsis. Enhanced prenatal care protocols and targeted interventions for high-risk groups are essential to improve maternal and neonatal health outcomes.

Keywords: neonates, urinary tract infection, kidney disease