The College of Science at the University of Basrah organized a seminar presented by the postgraduate (Master's) student Habayeb Sattar, entitled “Study of Some Physiological, Biochemical, and Hormonal Indicators in Pregnant Women with Bacterial Urinary Tract Infection and Antibiotic Susceptibility.”

The study aimed to determine the incidence of bacterial urinary tract infections among a sample of pregnant women in Basrah Governorate, isolate and identify the bacterial species causing the infection, evaluate their antibiotic susceptibility patterns, and investigate selected physiological, biochemical, and hormonal indicators by comparing pregnant women with bacterial urinary tract infections to healthy pregnant controls.

The study included 200 pregnant women and involved bacteriological examinations for the identification of bacterial isolates and determination of their antimicrobial susceptibility using the VITEK® 2 system. In addition, several physiological, biochemical, and hormonal parameters were evaluated, including white blood cell count (WBCs), red blood cell count (RBCs), packed cell volume (PCV), hemoglobin (HB), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), random blood sugar (RBS), blood pressure, progesterone, and estradiol levels. The obtained data were then statistically analyzed and compared between the two study groups.

The study recommended the adoption of urine culture and antimicrobial susceptibility testing for the accurate diagnosis of urinary tract infections in pregnant women, the rational use of antibiotics based on susceptibility test results, and the conduct of future studies involving larger sample sizes and different geographical regions. It also recommended expanding research on the physiological, biochemical, and inflammatory changes associated with urinary tract infections during pregnancy.