Protein in the urine in pregnancy

Pregnant women are forced to take a large number of different tests, among which an important position is occupied by the analysis of protein content in urine. Protein in urine during pregnancy can serve as a reason for conducting thorough additional studies to prevent and treat many possible diseases.

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Causes of protein in urine during pregnancy

What could be the reasons for the appearance of protein, which should not normally be present in urine?

Blood, as is known, is filtered by the kidneys: all substances that are useless for the body pass into the urine, and the necessary ones (in particular, protein) remain in the blood. However, if filtration is impaired, the protein does not undergo the necessary selection and ends up in the urine. There may be many reasons for this:

• inflammatory process in the kidneys (pyelonephritis) - in addition to the appearance of protein in the urine, an excess of leukocytes is also found there, possibly also erythrocytes, the condition is accompanied by an increase in body temperature, pain in the lower back;
• inflammatory disease of the renal glomeruli (glomerulonephritis) - accompanied by a significant increase in the number of red blood cells and protein in the urine. Depending on the course of the disease, kidney pain and hyperthermia are possible;
• the condition of nephropathy (or gestosis) is a serious complication during pregnancy, which can manifest itself from the twentieth week of gestation. The severity of gestosis is determined by the duration of pregnancy and the intensity of clinical manifestations; the disease is accompanied by the appearance of edema and increased blood pressure. This pathological condition can lead to cerebral edema and eclamptic seizures in a pregnant woman, as well as to intrauterine developmental disorders and even the death of the baby.

Sometimes the appearance of protein fractions in urine (in not very large quantities) may be due to incorrect collection of material for analysis: in such situations, it is recommended to retake the urine.

Protein levels in urine during pregnancy

In pregnant women, the ability to detect a non-critical amount of protein in the urine may be normal: daily urine output may contain about 0.08 g. After minor stressful situations, after physical exertion, the level of excreted protein may increase to 0.2 g, although normal values during pregnancy allow for a reading of 0.14 g/l.

Many experts are inclined to believe that an increase in the amount of protein in the urine of more than 0.033 g/l is the first warning sign for taking urgent measures to prevent complications during pregnancy.

Pregnancy places increased stress on the kidneys and urinary system, but, unfortunately, the body cannot always cope with it.

Starting from the 20th week of gestation, the growing uterus can interfere with the normal blood supply to the kidneys and urinary tract. This can contribute to the formation of an inflammatory reaction in the urinary system. Therefore, if protein is detected in urine tests, regular visits to a urologist or nephrologist are recommended throughout the entire pregnancy.

Traces of protein in urine during pregnancy

Detection of a small amount of protein in urine (less than 0.14 g/l) can be considered an acceptable norm: sometimes it is simply a deceptive or physiological type of proteinuria.

Deceptive proteinuria can occur when urine is collected incorrectly for analysis:

• Only the morning portion of urine is collected;
• the sample collection jar must be clean and dry;
• It is necessary to follow the rules of intimate hygiene - before collecting the sample, you need to wash yourself;
• If there is vaginal discharge, it is recommended to use a tampon during collection to avoid mixing of discharge and urine;
• When washing, do not use antiseptic substances, furacilin, potassium permanganate, or herbal infusions.

The causes of physiological proteinuria are as follows:

• consumption of significant amounts of protein-rich foods (dairy products, meat, eggs);
• physical exercise, including long walks;
• stressful situations, intense emotional states;
• colds the day before the test;
• cold or contrast shower in the morning, hypothermia.

If traces of protein are detected in the urine, it may be recommended to retake the test the next day, observing all the rules for collecting urine.

Protein in urine after pregnancy

Residual amounts of protein after childbirth, complicated by the development of gestosis, are quite acceptable. However, pronounced proteinuria after the resolution of pregnancy may signal that the urinary system was unable to recover from significant loads on the kidneys during the period of gestation. The inflammatory reaction may have worsened, but without tests and additional studies it is difficult to assess the severity of the situation.

Possible causes of proteinuria after pregnancy are the development of complications and the addition of certain pathological conditions:

• high blood pressure;
• metabolic disorders;
• inflammatory lesions, urinary dysfunction (phenomena of pyelonephritis, glomerulonephritis);
• formation and growth of neoplasms in the kidneys;
• infectious damage;
• traumatic kidney injury;
• frequent hypothermia;
• intoxication and poisoning;
• development of autoimmune pathology.

Detection of protein in urine after childbirth requires mandatory additional studies and consultation with a qualified doctor. It is recommended to conduct several more comparative urine tests, on the basis of which it is possible to track the dynamics of the development of the pathology and assess the severity of the situation.

Treatment of increased protein in urine during pregnancy

The principles of therapy for elevated levels of protein fractions in urine directly depend on the immediate causes of proteinuria and the amount of protein detected. Sometimes in late pregnancy, when the protein content is critical and can provoke unwanted complications, doctors resort to emergency stimulation of labor or a cesarean section, which often helps save the baby and reduce the burden on the mother's body.

Women who had problems with the urinary system before pregnancy should be monitored by a specialist (nephrologist or urologist).

Therapeutic measures must necessarily include:

• continuous monitoring of pressure indicators;
• limiting the consumption of salty foods, sugar, and protein products;
• adding sufficient amounts of vegetables and fruits to your daily diet;
• the drinking regime should be limited, but not reduced to a minimum - a lack of fluid can lead to an increase in signs of intoxication of the body and disruption of the kidneys;
• do not force yourself to do significant physical activity - short walks and light exercises will be enough;
• You should avoid hypothermia, colds, and stressful situations.

Drug therapy for detection of protein in urine is determined exclusively by a doctor based on a comprehensive examination of the patient.

You should treat your body with care, especially when you are pregnant, and you are responsible not only for yourself, but also for your unborn baby. If you have protein in your urine during pregnancy, be sure to tell your doctor about it, even if you feel fine and nothing bothers you. By doing this, you may save the health and life of your future child.