Cystitis before period: can it be a symptom of pregnancy?

Frequent peeing: cystitis or early pregnancy?

Given that the urgent need to urinate is also one of the main symptoms of cystitis, it may happen that the expectant mother, unaware of the pregnancy that has begun, confuses this physiological condition with a urinary tract infection, and then discovers she is pregnant when menstruation does not they arrive.

On the other hand, a woman trying to get pregnant might mistake simple cystitis for a symptom of successful conception .

How to tell if it’s cystitis or pregnancy

First of all, it is important to underline that one thing does not exclude the other. In the presence of symptoms compatible with cystitis , therefore, it is always a good idea to contact the gynecologist , advising him of the possibility of an ongoing pregnancy .

It will be up to the doctor to make a diagnosis and, in case of infection, to prescribe a therapy that is also compatible with a possible pregnancy , waiting to be able to ascertain it later.

Having said that, we can say that in the presence of symptoms such as burning or pain when urinating or difficulty urinating, the presence of an infection is likely .

The urgent need to urinate that can appear at the beginning of pregnancy, in fact, is not accompanied by inflammatory symptoms (because it does not have a bacterial but a hormonal origin). Furthermore, the simultaneous presence of other early pregnancy symptoms could provide further clues about conception.

In any case, to find out if you are pregnant, the only certainty can come from the pregnancy test , which should be performed at least one day after the missed arrival of your period and, in case of an irregular cycle , repeated a few days later for greater safety.

Can cystitis be a symptom of pregnancy?

The answer is no, cystitis is not a symptom of pregnancy. Why, then, is it very common in forums to find mothers who tell of having had cystitis before their period and then discovering that they are pregnant? There are mainly two explanations.

1. Frequent intercourse

Often, couples looking for a child intensify sexual activity in the fertile period, in what we have called the “fertile days marathon”.

As we know, sexual intercourse (especially if frequent) favors the onset of urinary tract infections . This is why some women may experience cystitis before their period and then have a positive pregnancy test. Instead of “honeymoon cystitis”, in this case we could speak of “cystitis of conception”.

2. Increased susceptibility to infections in pregnancy

Pregnant women have an increased risk of developing a urinary tract infection , due to the pressure the growing uterus puts on the bladder. When this occurs very early, it is possible for a woman to realize that she has cystitis even before she discovers that she is pregnant.

Pink discharge: cystitis or pregnancy?

Observation of pink discharge usually indicates the presence of traces of blood in the vaginal mucus or in the urine . The causes can be diverse and include implantation spotting (indicating the implantation of the fertilized egg in the uterus) and hemorrhagic cystitis .

How to tell if it’s implant leakage or cystitis

Let’s start from the concept that in the first case the losses will be vaginal , while in the second they will originate from the urethral outlet . Unfortunately, however, it is not always easy to distinguish the origin of the bleeding.

A little “trick” can be to  swab the entrance to the vagina with a cotton ball and then urinate into a container . This will make it easier to understand the origin of the leaks.

In any case,  the only way to determine for sure whether pink discharge is due to cystitis before your period, pregnancy, or another cause is to see your doctor. In the meantime, on the first day of your missed period, you can take a pregnancy test to confirm if you are pregnant.

In this regard, it is always useful to remember that the presence of hemorrhagic cystitis does not exclude pregnancy and vice versa.

Can cystitis hinder the search for a pregnancy?

Cystitis is inflammation of the lower urinary tract (bladder and urethra) and therefore does not involve the ovaries, fallopian tubes or uterus. For this reason, it does not interfere with conception or with the implantation of the fertilized egg .

However, it is important to treat it promptly to avoid complications that could compromise general well-being.

For this reason, in the presence of symptoms that suggest the presence of cystitis, it is recommended to notify your doctor immediately, stating that you are trying to conceive .

If I have cystitis and I take a pregnancy test can the result be false?

No, the pregnancy test is designed to detect the beta hormone hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin), which begins to be produced only after the implantation of the embryo in the uterus, regardless of the presence or absence of urinary infections. Cystitis therefore cannot distort the test result.

To get a reliable result, however, it’s important to take the pregnancy test at the right time . If after a negative result the doubt of being pregnant remains, the advice is to repeat the test after a few days .

Can cystitis medications have negative effects on conception or pregnancy?

If you think you may have cystitis before your period and are trying to get pregnant, contact your doctor and let them know that you are having unprotected sex to get pregnant .

In this way, the professional will ensure that he prescribes medications compatible with the pregnancy.

In particular, some painkillers and anti-inflammatories are in fact not recommended during pregnancy , because they could compromise its good performance, while paracetamol (tachipirina) is considered safe .

As for antibiotics , however, those usually prescribed to treat cystitis are safe for mother and child and do not interfere with conception .