Log in Created by the BabyCenter editorial team and reviewed by the BabyCenter Medical Advisory Board. From nourishing your baby to protecting against infection, water is essential for your health during pregnancy. Learn more about the PUR Faucet Mount water filters .
Water prevents urinary tract, bladder, and kidney infections.
When you're pregnant, your body produces extra estrogen and progesterone, two hormones that help nurture your fetus and prepare you for childbirth. These hormones also affect the bladder and kidneys. As a result, you feel the urge to urinate more frequently, but your relaxed bladder may not fully empty when you try to go. When urine sits in the bladder for too long, bacteria builds up, which can cause infections. Water prevents pre-term contractions.