Asymptomatic bacteriuria is when you have bacteria living in your bladder, but no symptoms of a urinary tract infection (UTI). Some midwives offer screening for this at booking.
It can cause symptomatic UTI, pyelonephritis, preterm labour, or a low birth weight baby, so screening for bacteria in your urine is offered by some midwives to help reduce your risk of complications.
The screening test involves a mid-stream urine specimen, which is sent to a lab for culturing. If it grows anything, you will be offered treatment for the infection.
If the specimen grows group B streptococcus, then you will be offered treatment at the time, and your midwife will recommend IV antibiotics in labour to help prevent group B streptococcus infection in your baby.