Protein In Urine During Pregnancy;Types, Causes, Symptoms, Effects

Why to test protein in urine during pregnancy? How urine is tested for protein? when are urine test performed? All this question must be evolving around you!!. just be relax

Urine test is a common test that is being conducted by the health care during the phase of a pregnancy. It is just used for the screening for pregnancy.

Well at the end of the article you will get fair share of information about what even you all doesn’t know about trace of protein in urine during pregnancy.

Why To Test Protein In Urine During Pregnancy?

As I mentioned above Urine test is a common test that is being conducted by the health care during the phase of a pregnancy. It is just used for the screening for pregnancy.

The protein in urine is referred as proteinuria (R). It is normal when a small amount of protein is found in urine during pregnancy. But when a larger amount of protein is found in the early pregnancy then it is a sign of some kind of infection and it is a matter of worry or concern.

Testing for protein in a pregnant woman’s urine (proteinuria) helps to make sure whether the is kidney function is normal or not, as well as making sure there are no other conditions that may need further medical help or diagnostic. The high level of protein in urine also increase the level of blood pressure too.

When Are Urine Tests Performed?

A urine test normally is expected during the first prenatal exam and then at least periodically in future or pregnancy test of an mother. It would be better if the healthcare provider to monitor the urine test during each visit of the pregnant mother at frequent interval.

How Urine Is Tested For Protein?

There are two version of test that can be done in order to check the level of proteinuria. It is diagnosis as follows-

1. The Dipstick Test:

It is a test where a chemically treated strip with patches is inserted into the urine sample. With the changes color, it reveals the presence of protein in the urine during pregnancy.

The level of protein in urine can range from ‘+’ to ‘++++’, with +1 (plus one) being low and +4 (plus four) high  High levels of protein indicate preeclampsia or kidney damage, whereas a low level indicates UTI.

2. 24-hour urine protein test:

This is another way of determining the level of protein in urine during pregnancy as it checks the amount of protein spilled into the urine and helps detect specific conditions. The urine samples are collected over a 24-hour period for analysis.

Make sure in this way the first urine that is in the morning is not taken into consideration. If the protein levels are higher than 300mg/d in 24 hours, it signals preeclampsia.

What Does The Urine Test Look For?

Normally the trace of protein in urine during pregnancy is done to access bladder or kidney infection, dehydration, diabetes, and preeclampsia (R) The high level of protein may leads to the presence of tract infection or kidney diseases.

Around 20 week of pregnancy if there is high level of sugar then it may suggest certain gastational diabetes. And around later phase of pregnancy the high level of protein which is called preeclampsia may be found with high blood pressure.

Types of Proteinuria:

The types of proteinuria are as follows-

1. Transient proteinuria:

It is a temporary excretion of protein which is caused by strenuous exercise, a high fever, exposure to cold, stress and other conditions. The pregnant women some times may also excrete more protein in their urine. Transient proteinuria does not involve any form of kidney disease and requires no treatment.

2. Orthostatic proteinuria;

In this form of proteinuria there is an increased amount of protein is excreted when a person is in the upright position. It’s mostly found in tall, thin adolescents and young adults less than 30 years of age.

3. Overflow Proteinuria:

This is a form of proteinuria which is caused by diseases. In this the kidney doesn’t involved. This is mostly caused by the multiple myeloma which is an cancer of the plasma cell in the bone marrow. The blood is flooded with too many protein which are filtered in the urine.

What Causes Protein In Urine During Pregnancy?

The high level of protein in the urine are due to ample number of reasons, such as-

1. Preeclampsia:

As I mention above also it is caused by high blood pressure, protein in urine and fluid retention that occurs after the 20th week of pregnancy. This condition needed to be checked and digonised. Some of the symptoms of it include headaches, vomiting, blurred vision, and abdominal pain.

2. HELLP syndrome (hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelet count):

This phase of syndrome occurs in women with preeclampsia or eclampsia. In this syndrome there is also high level of protein in urine. It might result in serious complications including low birth weight, stillbirth and preterm labor etc if it is not be seen or digonised at right time.

3. Urinary tract infection (UTI) or kidney infection:

If there is a phase of frequent urination during your pregnancy then the chance of a pregnant women to get UTI is more. It lead to the appearance of high level of protein in the urine during pregnancy.Some of the symptoms are fever, nausea, vomiting and back pain. It can lead to cause low birth weight babies and preterm labor.

4. Other factors:

There are some conditions or other factor such as emotional stress, dehydration, arthritis, exposure to high temperatures, diabetes, strenuous exercise, and medications also increase the chances of protein in the urine during pregnancy.

Symptoms Of Proteinuria In Pregnancy:

In most of the cause proteinuria doesn’t have any particular symptoms. But some symptoms include-

• Severe headache.
• Problems with vision, such as blurring or flashing before your eyes.
• Severe pain just below the arms, hands ribs, feet.
• Vomiting.
• Sudden and severe  swelling of your face, hands or feet
• Hypertension
• Diminished appetite
• Weight gain caused by fluid retention
• Heartburn
• High blood pressure
• Fever

Effects Of Protein In Urine During Pregnancy:

There may be many of the effects that can be associated with high level of protein in urine during pregnancy, such as it can lead to-

• Urinary tract infection
• Preeclampsia
• HELLP syndrome
• Higher stress levels
• Frequent fever and dehydration
• Pulmonary oedema due to overflow of fluids
• Acute renal failure
• Increased risk of infection from bacteria
• Certain ailments such as heart problems, kidney infection, diabetes, leukaemia, arthritis, and anaemia.
• Diabetes
• Weight gain or obesity

How to Reduce Protein In Urine During Pregnancy?

Proteinuria is not a diseases, it just a matter of taking care and mainting or managing the trace level of protein in urine. With simple dietary and lifestyle it will be get well managed to reduce the level of protein in urine during pregnancy.

For mild or temporary proteinuria, there is no need of treatment are necessary. Certain drugs are prescribed, especially for the people with diabetes and/or high blood pressure. The drugs are as follows:

• ACE Inhibitors (angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors)
• ARBs (angiotensin receptor blockers)

How To Prevent Protein In Urine During Pregnancy?

As I mention with simple dietary and lifestyle it will be get well managed to reduce the level of protein in urine during pregnancy. Some the ways are as follows-

1. Cut Down Salt Intake:

During pregnancy the craving increases a lot especially for sour and salty foods. But the increased salt intake will result in higher protein levels in urine during pregnancy. So in this case the pregnant women has to reduces the amount of added salt to the diet. This is an amazing way to avoid such complication.

2. Lower Sugar Intake:

Lower sugar intake is one of the possible way to get rid of chances of getting high protein in the urine during pregnancy. The food such as cakes, desserts, sweets, and ice creams must be removed from the diet. This will protect the pregnant women from infections.

3. Manage your weight:

Weight matter a lot during pregnancy. The excess weight gain will increase the risk of gestational diabetes or preeclamspsia, this may lead to high level of protein in urine during pregnancy. So maintain the minimal level of weight gain as per your age and height. For this you can consider the doctor.

4. Rest well:

This is a special way to get rid from the excess level of protein during pregnancy especially for the working women. Just take out some time from daily routine to beat away the level of stress and relax. It also recharges the body and helps to deal with any health conditions better and in a effective way.

5. Practice Good Hygiene:

Many of the studies has proven it is an effective way inorder to prevent proteinura in pregnancy. Just  wipe yourself dry with a clean towel after the shower and also wipe front to back after urination. This maintains a good and healthy hygenic and prevents from infections for a pregnant women.

6. Consume Enough Water:

Hydration is essential to protect from infections. Drinking enough water keeps you health and away from all shorts of diseases. Consuming enough water leads to frequent urination and flushes out kidney and urinary tract infections during the phase of pregnancy.

It is normal when a small amount of protein is found in urine during pregnancy. But when a larger amount of protein is found in the early pregnancy then it is a sign of some kind of infection and it is a matter of worry or concern. I hope this article has provided a good number of information about the level of proterinuria in pregnancy.