title: Daily intake of 100 mg ascorbic acid as urinary tract infection prophylactic agent during pregnancy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the role a daily intake of 100 mg of ascorbic acid plays in urinary infection prophylaxis during pregnancy.
  
  
  METHODS
  A single-blind clinical trial was carried out on pregnant women randomly assigned to the following treatment groups - Group A: oral treatment with ferrous sulphate (200 mg per day), folic acid (5 mg per day) and ascorbic acid (100 mg per day) for 3 months, and Group B: oral treatment with ferrous sulphate (200 mg per day) and folic acid (5 mg per day) for 3 months. All patients were clinically evaluated, and a urine culture was carried out each month for a period of 3 months. The chi(2) and odds ratio were used to compare effects with and without ascorbic acid, and statistical significance was considered at p<0.05.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Global frequency of urinary infections was 25%. The presence of urinary infections in Group A (12.7%) was significantly lower than in Group B (29.1%), (p=0.03, OR =0.35, CI 95% =0.13-0.91).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Daily intake of 100 mg of ascorbic acid played an important role in the reduction of urinary infections, improving the health level of the gestating women. We recommend additional vitamin C intake for pregnant women in populations which have a high incidence of bacteriuria and urinary infections.
authors.affiliation: Centro Universitario de Investigaciones Biomédicas y Facultad de Enfermería, Universidad de Colima, Colima, México.
authors.forename: Gonzalo Javier
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Ochoa-Brust
authors.forename: Alma Rosa
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Fernández
authors.forename: Gerson Jesús
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Villanueva-Ruiz
authors.forename: Raymundo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Velasco
authors.forename: Benjamín
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Trujillo-Hernández
authors.forename: Clemente
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vásquez
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000652:urine; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000652:urine; D014556:Urine / Q000382:microbiology; D014815:Vitamins / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D014815:Vitamins; D001205:Ascorbic Acid