14 Known Causes of Ureaplasma

2. Bacterial Vaginosis (BV)

Bacterial vaginosis is a common vaginal condition that happens when the balance of bacteria in your vagina shifts. The healthy bacteria decrease, and other types grow too much. This change can affect the overall environment in your genital tract. When this imbalance occurs, organisms like Ureaplasma may grow more easily.

Ureaplasma often lives in the genital tract without causing harm, but changes in vaginal bacteria can support its overgrowth and increase your risk of symptoms or infection. You may notice thin gray or white discharge with a strong fish-like odor. Some people also have mild irritation, but many have no symptoms at all.

Even without symptoms, the change in bacteria can still affect your vaginal health. Certain factors raise your risk, such as having a new sex partner, multiple partners, not using condoms, or douching. Using certain birth control devices, such as copper intrauterine devices, may also increase risk.

3. Prostatitis

Prostatitis is swelling and irritation of your prostate gland. This small gland sits below your bladder and helps make semen. When it becomes inflamed, you may feel pain in your lower belly, groin, or lower back. Ureaplasma can infect your urinary or genital tract.

If the bacteria spread to your prostate, they can trigger inflammation and cause a form of prostatitis linked to infection. You might notice burning when you urinate or trouble starting the flow. Some men feel pain during ejaculation. Others have frequent urges to urinate, even when little comes out.

There are different types of prostatitis. Acute bacterial prostatitis starts suddenly and can cause fever and chills. Chronic forms last longer and may cause ongoing pelvic pain without clear signs of severe infection. Ureaplasma does not cause every case. Many cases have no clear cause, and some involve other bacteria such as common urinary pathogens.

4. Endometritis

Endometritis is an inflammation of the lining of your uterus. This lining is called the endometrium. It is not the same as endometriosis, which is a different condition. Ureaplasma can live in your genital tract without causing problems. However, in some cases, it can move upward into your uterus and trigger irritation and infection of the uterine lining.

You may notice lower belly pain, unusual vaginal discharge, fever, or bleeding between periods. Some people have mild symptoms, while others feel quite sick. After childbirth, miscarriage, or certain medical procedures, your risk may increase because your uterus is more open to infection.

Endometritis can also develop as part of pelvic inflammatory disease. In this case, the infection may spread beyond your uterus to nearby organs. Early treatment with antibiotics can clear the infection and lower the risk of long-term problems. If left untreated, endometritis may affect your fertility, as ongoing inflammation can make it harder for a fertilized egg to attach to the uterine lining.

5. Kidney Stones

Kidney stones are small, hard pieces of material that form in your kidneys. They develop when minerals and salts in your urine build up and stick together. These stones can stay in the kidney or move into the tube that carries urine to your bladder.

Ureaplasma may play a role in stone formation in some people. This bacteria can break down urea in your urine and produce ammonia. Ammonia can change the pH of your urine and make it more alkaline. When this happens, certain minerals are more likely to form crystals, which can grow into stones over time.

You may notice sharp pain in your side or lower back if a stone moves. The pain can spread to your lower abdomen or groin. Other signs include nausea, vomiting, blood in your urine, or a burning feeling when you urinate. Small stones may pass on their own when you drink enough fluids. Larger stones can block urine flow and cause severe pain.

6. Pneumonia

Pneumonia is an infection in your lungs. It causes the air sacs to fill with fluid or pus, which makes it hard for you to breathe. You may notice cough, fever, chest pain, or shortness of breath. Ureaplasma is a type of bacteria that can live in your urinary or genital tract without causing problems. In rare cases, it can spread to other parts of your body. If it reaches your lungs, it may lead to pneumonia, especially if your immune system is weak.

You face a higher risk if you are a newborn, an older adult, or someone with a long-term illness. A weakened immune system, recent respiratory illness, or long hospital stay can also raise your risk. Crowded settings and close contact with someone who has a respiratory infection increase the chance of lung infections in general.

This is called diagnosing pneumonia with a physical exam and chest imaging. They may also test your blood or mucus to look for bacteria. If bacteria cause your infection, your doctor may prescribe an antibiotic to treat it.

7. Meningitis and Brain Injury

Ureaplasma can affect more than the urinary or reproductive tract. In rare cases, it can spread into your bloodstream and reach your brain. When this happens, it may lead to meningitis, which is swelling of the lining around your brain and spinal cord.

Meningitis is a serious condition. You may notice symptoms such as fever, stiff neck, headache, vomiting, confusion, or sensitivity to light. In newborns, signs can include poor feeding, weak crying, or unusual sleepiness. Premature babies face a higher risk because their immune systems are not fully developed.

If the infection reaches your brain, it can also cause brain injury. Swelling and inflammation may reduce blood flow or damage brain tissue. This can lead to long-term problems such as hearing loss, learning delays, or movement issues. In severe cases, it can become life-threatening without quick treatment.

8. Miscarriage

Miscarriage is the loss of a pregnancy before 20 weeks. Most happen in the first trimester. Many factors can cause this loss, and in many cases, doctors cannot find a clear reason. Ureaplasma is a type of bacteria that can live in your genital tract. In some people, it causes no symptoms. In others, it can lead to infection and inflammation in the uterus or the tissues around the pregnancy.

If Ureaplasma spreads upward from the vagina into the uterus, it may irritate the lining and the amniotic sac. This irritation can trigger early contractions or weaken the sac that holds the baby. When this happens early in pregnancy, it may increase the risk of miscarriage.

Infection can also affect the placenta, which gives your baby oxygen and nutrients. If inflammation disrupts this process, the pregnancy may not continue normally. Chromosomal problems remain the most common cause of miscarriage. Ureaplasma is only one possible factor, and not every infection leads to pregnancy loss.

9. Lung Injury for Newborn

If you pass Ureaplasma to your baby during pregnancy or birth, it can affect your baby’s lungs. This risk is higher if your baby is born early. Premature lungs are not fully developed, so they get hurt more easily. Ureaplasma can settle in the lower airways and trigger inflammation, which is the body’s response to infection.

Inflammation can damage the tiny air sacs that help your baby breathe. Some newborns develop pneumonia, which is a lung infection. Others may face long-term breathing problems such as bronchopulmonary dysplasia. This condition happens more often in very small or very early babies who need breathing support.

Ureaplasma can raise levels of chemicals in the body that promote swelling and tissue injury. Over time, this may interfere with normal lung growth. Healthcare providers often test samples from the airway in babies who need breathing tubes. They may use antibiotics to treat confirmed infection.

10. Premature Rupture of Fetal Membranes

Premature rupture of fetal membranes occurs when your water breaks before labor begins, which raises health risks for both you and your baby. If this happens before 37 weeks, it is called preterm premature rupture, and the earlier it occurs, the higher the risk of infection, early birth, and breathing issues in your baby.

Ureaplasma infection can weaken the amniotic sac, trigger early rupture, and cause inflammation that may start contractions. You may notice a sudden gush of fluid or a slow, steady leak from your vagina. The fluid is usually clear and does not smell like urine. If you suspect your water has broken, seek medical care right away.

Your care depends on how far along you are in your pregnancy. After 37 weeks, your care team may allow labor to start naturally or use labor-inducing medicines. Before 34 weeks, you may need close hospital monitoring, antibiotics to lower infection risk, and steroid treatment to help your baby’s lungs mature.

11. Chorioamnionitis

Chorioamnionitis is an infection of the tissues and fluid that surround your baby during pregnancy. Bacteria can move up from your vagina into your uterus, which affects the fetal membranes and amniotic fluid. Ureaplasma sometimes travels into the amniotic sac, triggering infection and inflammation, which can raise your temperature and increase your heart rate.

You may notice symptoms such as fever, lower belly pain, foul-smelling vaginal fluid, or a fast heartbeat. Doctors may also see signs like uterine tenderness or changes in the baby’s heart rate. Sometimes, you may not have clear symptoms, and the infection is found during labor.

Chorioamnionitis increases the risk of preterm birth. Babies born early may face breathing problems and other health issues. Ureaplasma has also been linked to lung inflammation in premature infants. Your care team usually gives intravenous antibiotics during labor and may recommend delivery to reduce risks to you and your baby.

12. Stillbirth

Stillbirth is the loss of a baby before or during birth, usually after 20 weeks of pregnancy, and it has many causes. Ureaplasma lives in the genital tract of many healthy adults, but during pregnancy, this bacteria can move into the uterus and infect the amniotic fluid, placenta, or the baby. Infection inside the uterus can trigger inflammation, which may damage healthy tissue, affect how the placenta works, and reduce the baby’s supply of oxygen and nutrients.

Infection linked to Ureaplasma can also cause premature rupture of membranes and preterm labor. It can lead to infection of the fetal membranes and inflammation in the baby’s lungs. These problems increase the risk of pregnancy loss, including stillbirth. Most people who carry ureaplasma do not experience stillbirth, but risk appears higher when the bacteria causes active infection inside the uterus.

13. Sexually Transmitted Diseases

Sexually transmitted diseases can increase your risk of getting or spreading Ureaplasma, especially if you have more than one sexual partner or do not use barrier protection. Ureaplasma often lives in the genital tract without causing symptoms, but when you also have another sexually transmitted infection, the balance of bacteria in your body can change. This allows Ureaplasma to grow in higher numbers and cause problems.

Sexually transmitted infections that can occur along with Ureaplasma include chlamydia and gonorrhea. They also include trichomoniasis and Mycoplasma genitalium infection. These infections can irritate the urethra, cervix, or other parts of the reproductive system. You may notice pain with urination, unusual discharge, pelvic pain, or bleeding between periods.

In men, symptoms may include burning with urination or discharge from the penis. Testing helps identify the exact cause of your symptoms. A healthcare provider may use lab tests to check for several infections at the same time. Treatment often includes specific types of antibiotics based on the infection found.

14. Infertility

Ureaplasma can affect fertility in both men and women. This bacteria often lives in the genital tract without symptoms, but in some cases it leads to infection and inflammation that disrupts reproductive function. If you struggle to conceive and have signs of infection, testing and proper treatment with antibiotics may help address the underlying issue.

In women, Ureaplasma may infect the cervix, uterus, or fallopian tubes. This infection can cause pelvic inflammatory disease, which may scar or block the fallopian tubes. When tubes are blocked, sperm cannot reach the egg, or a fertilized egg cannot move into the uterus. You may not notice clear symptoms at first. Some women report pelvic pain, unusual discharge, or pain during sex. Long-term infection increases the risk of tubal damage, which is a known cause of infertility.

In men, Ureaplasma can infect the urethra or prostate. It may also affect sperm health. Studies suggest it can lower sperm count, reduce sperm movement, and change sperm shape. These changes can make it harder for sperm to reach and fertilize an egg.