Protein In Urine During Pregnancy

Protein In Urine During Pregnancy


Contents:


High Protein in Urine During Pregnancy But Normal Blood Pressure

The pregnant woman will have to pass many tests that will help professionals to determine whether there is any threat to the baby’s health. The tests can determine which of the mother's illness can have a negative effect on the fetus’ development. One of the most common tests during the pregnancy is a urinalysis, as its results may say a lot about the state of the woman and the fetus.

Urine Test During Pregnancy

Urine test is compulsory for every pregnant, it must be made in equal time intervals. In early pregnancy, a woman has to pass urine test every month, later-every two months. Experts warn women that they need to be prepared to the test in order to get a right result. Rules of how to pass urine test are very simple and easy to remember. Firstly, the day before the test the pregnant woman should not eat spicy and salty food as well as a lot of meat dishes. Secondly, urine container must be absolutely clean and sterile.

It should be added that the urine must be collected immediately after waking up, but before the urine collection, the woman should wash thoroughly. Midstream urine is used for the regular test. To collect midstream urine you will first need to urinate in the toilet for a few seconds and only then collect the urine in the container. It is also recommended to deliver the collected urine in the laboratory as soon as possible, preferably within two hours.

The results of this test give doctors an idea of how the pregnant kidneys are functioning. The doctors pay special attention to this because during pregnancy, the kidneys have a double load, and they sometimes fail. In addition, the urinalysis can detect whether a woman has such a serious disease as diabetes, or any infection that can be transmitted to the baby. One of the first alarming signs is the presence of protein in the urine.

Normal Protein Levels in Urine During Pregnancy

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The pregnant woman shouldn’t have any protein in urine at all. However, in rare cases, the insignificant amounts of it are permissible, as the kidneys work for two during the pregnancy. Everyone knows that during the pregnancy the load on all vital organs are doubled. They ensure the vital activity of both mother and baby. The kidneys and the urinary system don’t make an exception. The kidneys remove toxins and decomposition products from the body energetically.

The maximum permissible amount of protein in the urine is 0.14 g/l. This result means that the expectant mother is healthy. If the amount of protein in the urine during pregnancy exceeds the specified number, the doctors immediately realize that something is wrong. It tells them that the female urinary system cannot handle the load or there is some kind of inflammatory processes in it.

Such inflammation can have different causes. It can arise through the fault of the woman who doesn’t lead healthy life style. Inflammation can be caused by the chronic renal disease that the woman had before the pregnancy. Large amounts of protein in the urine may be a harbinger of such diseases as pyelonephritis, cystitis or glomerulonephritis.

Proteinuria is the medical term for excessive amounts of protein in the urine. If the urinalysis has shown high protein levels, the doctor should assign a retest. This is done to observe the dynamics of increasing protein amounts in the urine, as well as to determine whether this is a permanent or single occurrence. It often happens that the increase of the protein amounts in urine is caused by a stress or physical exertion. In this case, the retest won’t detect it.

Increased protein amounts in the urine can trigger some diseases, such as: hypertension, diabetes, heart failure, polycystic, and others. However, the most dangerous disease among them is pre-eclampsia. Similar body condition happens only in pregnant women, after the birth it disappears. Primarily pre-eclampsia is very dangerous because the pregnant does not feel any changes undergoing in her body and feels herself as usual. The only indicator of that dangerous disease is high levels of protein in urine.

Pre-eclampsia is a renal pathology which violates the placenta functioning. As the result, firstly, the placenta stops to protect the fetus from negative impact, and, secondly, the child does not receive nutrients and oxygen. Thus, pre-eclampsia can lead to such terrible consequences such as preterm birth, slowing the baby’s development or even the death of the baby.

It is necessary to note few others symptoms of pre-eclampsia, such as severe swelling and increased blood pressure. Upon detection of pre-eclampsia, the pregnant woman is urgently placed in the hospital and treated. If pre-eclampsia is manifested on the last months of pregnancy, it is often an indication for induction of contractions. This is done if the stimulation of birth is the only way to save both the mother and the baby.

Treatment of Proteinuria With Antibiotics

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It is normal even for healthy people to have small amounts of protein in urine. If its level is increased, it is a cause for concern. Often high protein levels testify of inflammation of a certain organ. To cope with the problem, the doctors prescribe antibiotics that can destroy the infection in the initial stage. Inflammation of the lungs, urinary organs, and intestinal infections is treated with the penicillin group’s antibiotics such as ampicillin.

The Right Dosage Of This Medication:

Tablets are taken orally with enough water. The standard dose for adults is 0.5 g 3 times a day, the children dose is calculated as 100 mg of drug for 1 kg of weight. It is necessary to take the medicine not less than 7 days. Ampicillin has no specific contraindications and has been used for a very long time successfully. However it has some side effects, such as skin rash, itching, Quincke’s edema, but they happen rarely, almost any drug can cause these conditions. In case of viral diseases-tonsillitis, otitis, scarlet fever, diphtheria, take oleandomycin. It is a strong drug, only a doctor can administer its dosage properly.

The standard doses are:

  • for adults – 250-500 mg (4-6 times a day, the maximum daily – 2 g);
  • for children up to 3 years – 20 mg per kilogram of body weight;
  • 3-6 years children – 250-500 mg per day;
  • 6-14 years-500 mg – 1 g;
  • 14 years and more 1 – 1,5 g per day.

The course of treatment is 7 days. Side effects are identical to any other antibiotic; it can’t be administered to people with serious liver disorders, pregnant and breastfeeding mothers. The doctor can administer it if the beneficial effects are higher than the possible harm.

Can a person identify his protein levels in urine himself? Definitely, no. Only the test’s result is reliable, but there are symptoms associated with health problems that make us go to see the doctor.

Usually they are:

  • excessive fatigue and dizziness;
  • pain in the temples, lumbus, arms;
  • decreased appetite, shiver or vice versa fever;
  • vomiting or nausea;
  • shortness of breath, tachycardia.

If there you have at least one symptom this doesn’t mean that you should self-administrate any drug. In general, people don’t like visiting doctors, but self-treatment isn’t of help with such a serious condition. Only a professional can prescribe an effective medication after the thorough examination of the tests’ results.

One Comment

  • bubbles in my urine says:

    Thank you for this. Can this be cured with an excess of water or do i absolutely need to be on meds?

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