Prevalence of Asymptomatic Bacteriuria (ASB) in Pregnant Women in India: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background:Asymptomatic bacteriuria is prevalent during pregnancy. If it goes undetected, it can lead to urinary tract infection with severe maternal and neonatal complications. Until date, India does not have any guidelines to test for ASB during pregnancy.Objective:To estimate the pooled prevalence of asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnant women at national level in India.Material and Methods:We searched Medline, Embase, Web of Science, and Google Scholar using search strategy with keyword. Two authors independently assessed the eligibility of study. The checklist of the JBI was used for evaluating the quality of reporting. The extracted data were analyzed, and the results were reported using a random-effects model with 95% confidence interval (CI). Subgroup analysis was conducted for zones of India, parity and trimester. Publication bias is reported as funnel plot.Result:Pooled prevalence of asymptomatic bacteriuria among pregnant women in India is 13.5% [CI 11.1; 15.8]. Subgroup analysis based on the various geographic zones of the country the pooled prevalence ranged from 9.2% in central zone to 14.8% in south zone. Distribution of prevalence of ASB as per parity was approximately identical. The prevalence of ASB was found to be high in third (21.8%).Conclusion:The prevalence of ASB is found to be high among Indian pregnant women, especially in third trimester. It is therefore recommended for guideline to screen and treat every pregnant woman for ASB to prevent further complications.