Note 5 causes of proteinuria during pregnancy

Urine testing is an indispensable part of routine pregnancy checkups for doctors to check for infections and other conditions. Among the urine test results, the proteinuria ratio during pregnancy is what you need to pay attention to to ensure the health of mother and baby.

Proteinuria is defined as the presence of protein in the urine. During pregnancy, a proteinuria screening test is essential because it detects serious changes happening in relation to the health of the mother and baby so that it can be treated promptly.

During pregnancy, it is normal for protein to be present in the urine in small amounts. However, sometimes this indicator can be a sign of kidney dysfunction, stress, infection and several other medical conditions.

Proteinuria during pregnancy

Proteinuria during pregnancy is usually determined through urine analysis . During normal pregnancy, proteinuria increases significantly, so protein excretion is considered abnormal in pregnant women when it exceeds 300mg / 24 hours. These could be signs of kidney problems. Proteinuria is of two types: chronic proteinuria and onset of proteinuria.

Chronic proteinuria is the presence of protein in your urine prior to pregnancy. If this occurs before the 20th week of pregnancy it is a sign of previous kidney disease.

Onset of proteinuria is a condition in which protein occurs in the urine during pregnancy and is most likely due to pre-eclampsia .

Causes of proteinuria during pregnancy

The kidneys filter waste from the blood and retain the components the body needs, including protein, but due to health problems, the kidneys let these proteins get into the urine:

1. Pre-eclampsia

Preeclampsia is a pregnancy disorder characterized by high blood pressure and often large amounts of protein in the urine. The condition does not have any symptoms but if severe, you may experience headache, swelling of the hands, face, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, less urination and blurred vision. Severe pre-eclampsia can impair the function of the kidneys, liver, brain, eyes, heart, and lungs.

2. Eclampsia

Eclampsia is a seizure that occurs concurrently with preeclampsia. These seizures usually occur before, during, or after labor. This is a dangerous case that requires immediate intervention.

3. HELLP syndrome

HELLP syndrome , a pre-eclampsia variant, can be life threatening for you and your baby. This syndrome is characterized by diffuse anemia , increased liver enzymes and thrombocytopenia. Symptoms of this condition are similar to pre-eclampsia: nausea, vomiting, upper stomach pain, headache, fatigue, blurred vision. HELLP syndrome can lead to serious complications such as liver damage, kidney damage, pulmonary edema, placenta detachment and intravascular scattered coagulation syndrome.

During pregnancy, pre-eclampsia syndrome increases the risk of eclampsia and HELLP. These conditions can cause negative effects on the fetus such as low birth weight , premature birth, stillbirth , slow growth in the uterus ...

4. Urinary tract infection or kidney infection

The presence of protein in the urine during pregnancy can be a sign of a urinary tract infection. You should consider:

How often do I urinate?

Do you feel uncomfortable when you urinate?

Urinary tract infections must be treated promptly to avoid conditions such as kidney infections, which often appear as back pain, vomiting, nausea, and chills. In addition, this condition can also affect the baby causing premature birth or low birth weight. If you have a urinary tract infection, your doctor will prescribe an antibiotic that is safe for pregnant women.

5. Other factors that cause proteinuria during pregnancy

Here are some other reasons for protein-rich urine during pregnancy:

Excessive stress

Exposure to high temperatures

Fever

Dehydration

Exercise too hard

Leukemia, lupus erythematosus, chronic kidney disease, arthritis and diabetes mellitus .

Symptoms of proteinuria during pregnancy

You can recognize proteinuria through the following symptoms:

Swollen hands and feet

Swollen face

Foamy urine.

From mid-pregnancy, you should look for signs of pre-eclampsia such as:

Blurred eyes

Swelling of the hands, feet, and face

Constant headache

Persistent heartburn

Severe pain below the ribs.

You should see your doctor as soon as you have these symptoms. These symptoms can appear from the 27th week of pregnancy or in the first weeks after birth.

Test and diagnose proteinuria during pregnancy

There are many methods to detect proteinuria such as:

1. Analysis of urine with a probe

For this test, your doctor will take a sample of your urine and test it with a urine probe with a chemical reagent strip. At this point, chemical reactions will take place and give out different colors. The test strip can also show the presence of glucose. Therefore, it can also be used to screen for gestational diabetes. Albumin is the main protein in the urine that turns the probe green. The darker the green, the more proteinuria.

2. 24 hours urine protein test

This test can be done at home or in the hospital. You will be able to take a urine sample over a 24-hour period and be analyzed. If the protein in the urine is more than 300mg in 24 hours, this could be a sign of pre-eclampsia.

Protein concentration in the urine is considered normal when:

Non-pregnancy: Less than 140mg (0.14g) / 24 hours

Middle 3-month pregnancy: 0 to 255mg (0.26g) / 24 hours

Last 3 months of pregnancy: 0 to 254mg (0.25g) / 24 hours

Protein in the urine in small amounts is common during pregnancy. It can be caused by many things and it could even be because the kidneys are working better or the body is fighting off an infection.

Urine protein tests will be done during routine pregnancy visits. If the protein in your urine and blood pressure are both high, your doctor will recommend a blood test to check your cell count, blood clotting, liver and kidney function.

Treatment of proteinuria during pregnancy

Proteinuria is not a disease, since treatment depends on what caused it. For example, if proteinuria is caused by diabetes, you need to control it with exercise, diet and medication. If proteinuria is caused by high blood pressure, you may need to control it.

In addition to managing the underlying disorders, you should also eat less salt in your meals. Ask your doctor about what diet is right for you. In addition, you should also drink more water.