Protein in urine during pregnancy
Every expectant mother regularly takes a urine test. In particular, in order to detect an increase in protein in time. We explain when protein in the urine during pregnancy is the norm, and when is a reason to take health seriously

You can often hear from women in position: “I feel good, why are they chasing me to the doctors?”. This means that the analyzes already show what is not yet manifested outwardly. One such important signal is increased protein in the urine during pregnancy.

The rate of protein in the urine during pregnancy

When deciphering many analyzes, the gender, age and physical condition of the patient are taken into account – for each category there are their own permissible limits for certain indicators. The situation is similar with the norm of protein in the urine. Ideally, it should be absent, or it should be determined in small quantities – up to 0,033 g / l in a single serving (30-50 mg / day). But for women in position, up to 150 mg of protein in a single serving (0,15 g / l) and up to 300 mg of protein in a daily analysis (0,3 g / l) are allowed if there are no other signs of problems with the genitourinary system and kidneys. Exceeding this limit requires close attention from doctors.

Reasons for increasing protein during pregnancy

It is important to distinguish between physiological and pathological proteinuria. In the first case, we are talking about a situation where the protein in the urine is not a cause for concern and does not require treatment – for example, due to physical exertion, stress, hypothermia, unbalanced nutrition.

In the second case, protein in the urine can be a sign of serious health problems – from infectious diseases (including tuberculosis), inflammatory processes, urolithiasis and other kidney pathologies to diabetes and oncology.

If an increase in protein is accompanied by an increase in blood pressure and edema, there is a risk of developing such dangerous complications as preeclampsia (multiple organ failure with impaired functions of the kidneys, liver, vascular system or brain and fetoplacental insufficiency that interferes with the full development of the fetus) and eclampsia (convulsive syndrome associated with PE , capable of provoking asphyxia, pulmonary edema, cerebral hemorrhage, hepatic and renal failure).

These conditions are a major cause of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality, and their pathogenesis is still unclear. That is why systematic monitoring is so important – so as not to miss the alarm bells at the very beginning of the development of complications.

How to treat high protein during pregnancy

Exclusively under the supervision of a doctor! When protein is found in the urine during pregnancy, treatment is prescribed based on anamnesis, a detailed survey, physical examination by a therapist, general and daily urinalysis, general and biochemical blood tests, ultrasound (abdominal, pelvic, heart), if necessary, immunological studies . Only having a complete picture of the patient’s state of health, the specialist will determine the treatment regimen – in one situation, it will be possible to get by with a diet, in another, medications will be needed, in the third, the question of an emergency caesarean section will arise.

Early dates

In the first trimester, adjusting the diet, regimen and loads will often help to cope with increased protein in the urine. A woman can find out about her situation only after a month or even two. All this time, she will eat as usual and lead her usual way of life, and the body will no longer be able to cope with the previous rhythm. Here are three main tips:

  • limit your intake of animal protein; give up spicy, salty, fatty and smoked foods; try to cook for a couple; eat more vegetables, fruits and berries;
  • adjust sleep and wakefulness;
  • do not lift weights, have a good rest, walk in the fresh air, but avoid long walks at the same time – excessive physical activity slows down protein reabsorption, that is, its reabsorption into the blood.

Late dates

In the second and third trimester, a healthy lifestyle is also important, but an increase in protein may no longer be associated with physiology, but with developing diseases. Having established their cause, the doctor will prescribe antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, sedative or pain medications; medicines to normalize pressure, and sometimes it will not be possible to do without antibiotics.

Prevention to Minimize Protein Rise

As with treatment, there is no universal scheme for the prevention of proteinuria – it all depends on the causes of the failure. In order not to increase protein during pregnancy, prevention comes down to maintaining a healthy lifestyle, timely testing, refusing self-medication and following the doctor’s instructions.

Popular questions and answers

Answered questions from patients Olga Bulgakova, obstetrician-gynecologist, member of the Association of Gynecologists-Endocrinologists of Our Country

How often do pregnant women need to take a urine test?
If there are no complications, the obstetrician-gynecologist will recommend taking a urine test before each scheduled visit. If there are problems, then in addition to a general urine test, you may need tests according to Nechiporenko, according to Zimnitsky, bakposev, ultrasound of the kidneys. More frequent visits to the urologist will be required, as a result, more frequent tests. Follow the recommendations of the doctor with whom you are registered.
How to collect urine for protein during pregnancy?
It would seem that collecting urine is a routine procedure. But, unfortunately, women often do the wrong hygiene of the genital organs before that. If there are secretions, then the analysis will already show the presence of protein. Therefore, you need to wash yourself well, take a sterile jar (preferably a special medical one, and not “home-made” from baby food, for example) and collect urine. Then it is important to send her for research as soon as possible, optimally so that she gets to the laboratory in the course of receiving.
Whether the result of analyzes can be erroneous?
Yes, like any analysis in the world. Therefore, if the patient is sure that she collected the urine correctly, if she does not complain about anything, then, of course, it is better to retake it. Because if a woman is treated on the basis of false data, it will harm her.
Does the concentration of protein in urine affect its odor and color?
Due to some diseases, urine really changes the smell and color, it can even become blue! When protein is increased in the urine, it becomes opaque, cloudy, and with a high concentration of it – frothy.
What are the symptoms of proteinuria?
They depend on the reasons that provoked the increase in protein in the urine. For example, functional proteinuria that has come and gone may be accompanied by fever or heart problems, while hypertension and edema may indicate preeclampsia. But there may be no symptoms at all.
Who is at risk for developing proteinuria?
Age and number of births does not matter. Proteinuria can occur in both a primiparous girl and an adult woman who has three or four births behind her. Everything is purely individual. It is important in what condition the urinary system was originally, because pregnancy is a condition in which where it is thin, it breaks there. If a woman has had pyelonephritis or other inflammatory processes, if she has had kidney injuries or an anomaly with them (for example, only one kidney), then the risk of developing proteinuria increases. Also, there is a tendency to it in patients with arterial hypertension.
How to choose the right diet with increased protein in the urine during pregnancy?
Protein is required by a pregnant woman in any case, due to it the baby’s tissues are being built. Limit animal protein and focus on vegetable protein. For example, in soy it is even more than in chicken meat. Other legumes, cereals, vegetables and fruits such as avocados, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, spinach are also rich in proteins.

When choosing a diet, it is important to understand what a particular patient’s energy needs are. Of course, it will be higher for the woman who walks a lot every day or she has other physical activity, and less for the one who mostly lies on the couch.

There are general tips – limit, in addition to animal protein, salt intake, avoid large amounts of simple carbohydrates, i.e. pastries and sweets (it affects the inflammatory process). But only the attending physician can adjust the diet. It has already been said that proteinuria is caused by completely different reasons. And if, for example, with pyelonephritis, we ask to drink more liquid, then in other conditions – less, with one disease, a diet is prescribed to increase alkalinity, with another – to reduce.

How to detect proteinuria at home?
In pharmacies, you can buy test strips for determining protein in urine at home. The price for them ranges from 120-400 rubles. The main difference is in the number of tests in a sealed tube and in the country of manufacture (Our Country, Germany, Korea, USA, Czech Republic, etc.).

The principle of operation for all express analyzes is the same: the strip falls into the urine for a few seconds, when the color changes, the resulting shade is compared with the scale on the package.

Test strips are used for rapid analysis in medical facilities and are convenient for monitoring protein levels at home, at work or while traveling. Usually the results are quite accurate, but errors due to improper collection of urine, non-compliance with the instructions or storage conditions of indicator tests are not ruled out. And remember – they only show the presence of protein in the urine, and only the doctor will determine the reasons for this and the diagnosis.

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