PIKAP study: physicians’ preferences for drug selection and management of pregnant women with bacterial genitourinary infections

Objective. To analyze physicians’ preferences regarding the pharmacotherapy of bacterial genitourinary infections (UTI) in pregnant women and assess their compliance with current clinical guidelines. Materials and Methods. The study was conducted over 2018–2022 using an anonymous questionnaire method among physicians in seven regions of Russia. A total of 227 healthcare providers participated, of whom 66.8% were general practitioners and 33.2% were obstetricians/gynecologists. Results. According to the analysis, there is an insufficient level of knowledge in the field of pharmacotherapy of UTIs in pregnant women. The respondents showed the best results in the treatment of chlamydia: in 79.9% of the questionnaires the correct tactics were chosen. The worst results were observed in the issues of detection and treatment of β(beta)-hemolytic streptococcus (BHSV) carriage: in 46.8% and 56.8% of questionnaires, respectively, the wrong tactic was chosen. Conclusions. The results of this study showed a low level of knowledge in the field of UTI therapy in different regions, as well as some discrepancies in the issues of pharmacotherapy according to domestic clinical guidelines. The differences are significant in some centers, which may indicate heterogeneity of knowledge in different regions. It is especially important to note that some specialists prescribe antimicrobials characterized by their unsafety for pregnant women and fetus.