Prevention of catheter infection of urine in female patients.

often when antibacterial treatment was successful than in patients where urinary infection persisted. Unfortunately, it was not always possible to decide whether the improvement of the anaemia resulted from the elimination of infection or from more intensive iron therapy. While the significance of iron deficiency in these cases remained obscure, there was little evidence to suggest that folic-acid deficiency played a relevant part in the causation of their anaemia. This might have been anticipated, as most of them were on a prophylactic regimen which includes folic acid. Although pregnant women are often reluctant to take iron, few default on their folic acid. Only 16 patients presented with the clinical signs and symptoms of pyelitis or cystitis. In 82% the infection was quite symptomless. Routine laboratory investigation of the urine in pregnancy would therefore appear to be advisable, especially at the beginning of the third trimester. Many cases of urinary infection in pregnancy are undoubtedly missed or erroneously diagnosed as " albuminuria," as a result of simple side-room testing. Urinary infection should be suspected in all cases of anaemia which have not responded to routine iron and folic-acid therapy, and once diagnosed should be treated promptly and energetically.