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Becky Parker
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Does anyone know if it is okay to take cranberry while pregnant? I have a UTI and besides antibiotics  it's the only thing that will work for me. I just don't want to take it if there is a risk.
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Becky
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Lisbet
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Becky, Yes, cranberrry is indeed safe during pregnancy. Are you familiar with CranActin? I suffer from horrid UTI's and kidney infections during pregnancy. I take CranActin every day and that really seems to help. They have it in powder form to, that you add to water and it gets all fizzy and it's really tasty. Hope you get better soon.
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Lisa, wife to Tony,
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Greta, 3
Cecilia born 10.29.10
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Becky Parker
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| Posted: Dec 05 2006 at 8:58am | IP Logged
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Thanks Lisbet! I know if I don't start taking them right away it will just get worse so I really appreciate the prompt reply! I've never tried Cranactin. I'll have to check into it. Taking any kind of supplement is really hard for me when I am pregnant - even prenatal vitamins. Maybe something fizzy to drink would be a little easier.
Blessings!
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Becky
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Lisbet
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Becky, the Cranaction is a chewable tablet that has a pleasant tart taste. I do prefer the fizzy drink though.
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Lisa, wife to Tony,
Mama to:
Nick, 17
Abby, 15
Gabe, 13
Isaac, 11
Mary, 10
Sam, 9
Henry, 7
Molly, 6
Mark, 5
Greta, 3
Cecilia born 10.29.10
Josephine born 6.11.12
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Taffy
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Becky,
I also suffer UTIs frequently, especially while pregnant. I also HATE taking antibiotics and will avoid it whenever possible. However, I will no longer avoid antibiotics for UTI while pregnant.
From Obstetrics & Gynocology:
We found statistical evidence that failure to take antibiotics to treat urinary tract infections is associated with mental retardation or developmental delay. Because diagnosis and treatment codes were available, we were able to exclude infants with diagnoses of known causes of mental retardation, an advancement over use of historical datasets, such as the National Collaborative Perinatal Project, because fewer causes of mental retardation were known during the 1970s. The rate of mental retardation or developmental disability was within the range reported by other studies.25,26
As a parent of a developmentally delayed child (and I'm wondering about my youngest as well now), I will no longer risk leaving UTIs untreated while pregnant. I will do lots to try and prevent UTIs but will not leave them untreated. There is quite a bit online about this link if you want to do more research.
FYI - These are some of the things I do to prevent UTIs:
- Drink 6-8 glasses of water (or more) each day and unsweetened cranberry juice regularly.
- Eliminate refined foods, fruit juices, caffeine, alcohol, and sugar.
- Take Vitamin C (250 to 500 mg), Beta-carotene (25,000 to 50,000 IU per day) and Zinc (30-50 mg per day) to help fight infection.
- Develop a habit of urinating as soon as the need is felt and empty your bladder completely when you urinate.
- Urinate before and after intercourse.
- Avoid intercourse while you are being treated for an UTI.
- After urinating, blot dry (do not rub), and keep your genital area clean.
- Make sure you wipe from the front toward the back.
- Avoid using strong soaps, douches, antiseptic creams, feminine hygiene sprays, and powders.
- Change underwear and pantyhose every day.
- Avoid wearing tight-fitting pants.
- Wear all cotton or cotton-crotch underwear and pantyhose.
- Don't soak in the bathtub longer than 30 minutes or more than twice a day.
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Becky Parker
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This has me concerned Taffy. I have a hard time though because I've read about the damage that antibiotics can do to the liver/kidneys. Which way to turn?! I guess I thought that by taking concentrated cranberry I was treating the UTI, just with natural means. The UTI's are far too painful for me to just ignore. What do you think? If the cranberry takes care of it in 3-4 days, is that doing enough?
Becky
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Becky
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MicheleQ
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Becky,
If it's any comfort I had many UTI's (and also several kidney stones) while pregnant with my 6th child. i did take the antibiotics and had no adverse effects. Obviously my dd didn't either because she is smarty as can be!
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Lisbet
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Beck, the cranberry will treat the UTI, not just mask the symptoms. It may take slightly longer than antibiotics. I suffer really terrible side effects from antibiotics, and after 3 rounds of them in one pregnancy that did NOT take care of the infection, allowing it to travel to my kidneys, I won't take them again. (I seem to be resistant) Megadoses of cranaction and pure raw cranberry juice took care of them in my next pregnancy. I will say though, in that next pregnancy I took way more preventative measures.
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Lisa, wife to Tony,
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Nick, 17
Abby, 15
Gabe, 13
Isaac, 11
Mary, 10
Sam, 9
Henry, 7
Molly, 6
Mark, 5
Greta, 3
Cecilia born 10.29.10
Josephine born 6.11.12
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SuzanneH
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Lisa, does the cranactin give you heartburn?
I just recently developed a UTI and took a cranberry supplement that gave me awful heartburn
I ended up going on an antibiotic, but I would LOVE to know that I have an alternative.
Suzanne
mom to Sean,5, Zoe,3 and Nicholas born 9/27/06
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Lisbet
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No, I've never experienced heartburn. Have you used the fizzy stuff?
Becky, I am really sorry for calling you "Beck" in the above post, I was nursing the baby while at the keyboard. I am so sorry!
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Lisa, wife to Tony,
Mama to:
Nick, 17
Abby, 15
Gabe, 13
Isaac, 11
Mary, 10
Sam, 9
Henry, 7
Molly, 6
Mark, 5
Greta, 3
Cecilia born 10.29.10
Josephine born 6.11.12
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Taffy
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Becky,
If available, I would go with the antibiotics as the ones routinely prescribed for UTIs are safe to use during pregnancy. I would also drink a LOT of water and take some active lactobacillis (or yogurt with active cultures).
It would seem that UTIs cause some interference with the kidney's ability to function adequately. In fact, left unchecked, UTIs can become kidney infections which is why doctors want to treat them. When the kidneys aren't functioning adequately, the blood can't be properly cleaned (detoxified). The resulting build up of toxins in circulating blood can cause damage to the developing fetus (and to mom if it's severe enough).
There is a lot of disagreement in the medical community over how much a UTI can effect the developing fetus. My doctor has never heard of this link but was interested when I asked her about it. As a parent to a developmentally delayed child and as an aunt to several, I'm not taking any chances with this.
If it were me, I'd go with the antibiotics and take preventative measures to avoid them.
Just my opinion. 
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Susan
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Lisbet
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Taffy, that is where the quandry lies. Cranberry and Antibiotics can BOTH be used to treat UTI's. For many cranberry works just fine, or in my case even better than antibiotics. For some, antibiotics cause no ill effects. I had a terrible reaction to 3 different kinds of antibiotics. Cranberry does treat them for me, much better actually! So it's hard to decide. I am personally of the opinion that antibiotics are not as safe as we are told on the developing baby.
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Lisa, wife to Tony,
Mama to:
Nick, 17
Abby, 15
Gabe, 13
Isaac, 11
Mary, 10
Sam, 9
Henry, 7
Molly, 6
Mark, 5
Greta, 3
Cecilia born 10.29.10
Josephine born 6.11.12
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Topic: cranberry while pregnant?
