What Can Cause Protein In Urine During Pregnancy – Urinalysis is part of routine prenatal testing to diagnose any medical conditions during pregnancy, including kidney infections, preeclampsia, and pregnancy disorder characterized by high blood pressure, water retention, and protein content in the urine. , and gestational diabetes i XA condition characterized by high blood sugar levels due to hormonal and physical changes in pregnancy. . It also detects the increase of leukocytes in the urine during pregnancy, which can indicate the presence of any infection or inflammation of the genitourinary or urinary tract. You may also need the urine test to check the functioning of the maternal organs (1) (2).

Read on to learn about the causes, risk factors, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment management, and preventive measures for leukocytes or white blood cells (WBC) in the urine during pregnancy.

What Can Cause Protein In Urine During Pregnancy

Leukocytes or white blood cells are part of your immune system and include granulocytes (neutrophils, eosinophils and basophils), monocytes and lymphocytes (T cells and B cells). Together, these white blood cells help the body fight infections and other diseases.

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In general, measuring the white blood cell count is part of a complete blood cell count (CBC) test (3). However, if urinary tract infections (UTIs) or inflammation are suspected during routine prenatal testing, your doctor may suggest a urine test to detect the presence of white blood cells (especially neutrophils). Urine is normally sterile, so the normal range of leukocytes in urine is low, ie up to 5 leukocytes per high power field (WBC/HPF) (4).

According to Dr. Alan Lindemann, an obstetrician who was also a clinical associate professor at the University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, “

White blood cells are elevated in the blood and urine during pregnancy, but normal depends on where you start. If your non-pregnant white blood cell count is 5,000, then a white blood cell count of 10,000 or 11,000 is probably normal for pregnancy, but if you start your pregnancy with a higher white blood cell count, the normal for you could go up to 15,000.

A leukocyte urine may not mean a bladder infection, but it can predict problems. An elevated WBC may represent a group B strep infection, so a urine culture is needed because a group B strep bladder infection can cause kidney infection and preterm labor or delivery.

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Also known as urinary retention, it is the blockage of the flow of urine through the bladder or urethra. . In addition, most immunological changes in the urinary tract peak during this phase (8).

Symptoms of white blood cells or white blood cells in the urine samples of pregnant women can vary depending on the underlying cause. Some of these symptoms include (13) (14)

There are two ways to check for leukocytes in the urine during pregnancy: a clean urine sample or a sterile catheterization. With more vaginal discharge in pregnancy, sterile catheterization is the most accurate test for leukocytes during pregnancy.

Leukocyte esterase test results can be affected by how urine samples are stored. There is a possibility that positive samples may become negative after being stored for 24 hours (19).

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The urine sediment from a fresh urine sample is centrifuged at 1,500 to 3,000 rpm for five minutes and resuspended in the remaining liquid for analysis. A single drop is placed on a clean glass slide, covered with a coverslip and observed under a microscope.

XAn automated screening device that analyzes urine for the diagnosis of urinary tract infections (UTIs). . Therefore, urine samples from pregnant women may occasionally test positive for leukocytes (20).

Treatment options may vary depending on the cause and level of elevation of white blood cells in the urine. Some standard treatment methods that can be included in your prenatal care regimen to help balance or decrease leukocyte levels in the urine during pregnancy are:

Treatment should be initiated soon after a high leukocyte level is detected in urine samples to avoid adverse obstetric outcomes. Some of the maternal complications include (10)

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Here are some tips that can help prevent high leukocytes in the urine and improve maternal health (13) (18):

Yes Normally, you can have between 0 and 5 leukocytes/HPF in your urine even when you are pregnant. However, if the level exceeds 5 leukocytes/HPF, it may be a sign of infection or inflammation in the urinary tract and may require treatment (4).

Yes In addition to UTI, the increase of leukocytes in the urine of a pregnant woman can be due to cystitis, pyelonephritis or various genital infections, which increase the risk of fatal complications in the fetus. However, fetal death is rare in these cases (10).

The presence of excess leukocytes in the urine for a long time may indicate a serious underlying infection. Severe infections can also cause other symptoms. Therefore, prompt treatment is vital to avoid adverse maternal and fetal health effects.

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High levels of white blood cells in the urine can occur during pregnancy due to different infections caused by bacteria or fungi. Symptoms of high white blood cell levels depend on the underlying cause, but may include frequent urination, fever, and nausea. This condition is usually detected during routine urine tests during pregnancy, after which you may be prescribed antibiotics or home remedies, depending on the cause and severity. Therefore, the condition is manageable with timely and effective medical intervention. However, delay in treatment can lead to an extreme increase in leukocytes, which can lead to complications.

The presence of increased leukocytes in the urine during pregnancy indicates an underlying infection. Identifying early symptoms and underlying causes is crucial for proper management. Let’s look at the infographic below as it explains various possible symptoms and causes of urinary leukocytes during pregnancy.

Find out the possible reasons behind the presence of high white blood cells in the urine during pregnancy and when to consult the doctor about it.

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Protein In Urine During Pregnancy

Dr. Esha Chainani is an Obstetrician, Gynecologist and Laparoscopic Surgeon working in Mumbai. She has over four years of experience and specializes in pregnancy care, high risk pregnancies, fertility, vaginal bleeding, fibroid surgery, fertility surgeries, PCOS and endometriosis. Dr. Chainani is the author of several internationally published research articles and health articles. She is the founder of Premaa, a non-profit organization to reduce maternity … more

Reshmi Das has over four years of experience as a clinical coordinator, medical content writer and medical conference coordinator. His continuing interest in medical journals and writing leads him to write well-researched articles for . Write health and wellness articles for children and pregnant and lactating women. Reshmi completed her post graduation in Biotechnology from MITS School of Biotechnology, … more

Rebecca is a pregnancy writer and editor with a passion for delivering engaging, research-based content in the areas of fertility, pregnancy, childbirth and post-pregnancy. She graduated in Biotechnology and Genetics from Loyola Academy, Osmania University and obtained certification in “Nutrition and Lifestyle in Pregnancy” from the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU). She has been in health and… more

Aneesha holds a BA in Biotechnology from USTM, Meghalaya and a Masters in Applied Microbiology from VIT, Vellore. With two years of experience, he worked on different research projects in the field of Food Sciences. In addition, he has an internship experience in Oil India Limited as an R&D Project Trainee. As a writer at , Aneesha assures… more Have you ever wondered why your doctor is running so many tests? This guide explains what tests can be done during and after pregnancy, when and why.

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, in all its forms, can mean many tests, both during and after pregnancy. Have you ever wondered why your doctor does so many tests? Or what do those tests mean? This guide explains what tests can be done during and after pregnancy, when and why.

The first test is to check your blood pressure at each prenatal checkup. When you become pregnant, you have regular visits with your doctor who should check your blood pressure at each visit to make sure it is not too high. A urine sample is also usually tested at each visit with a dipstick to make sure your kidneys are healthy. Any excessive amount of protein found in a urine sample is known as “proteinuria”. Proteinuria may or may not be present in patients who are diagnosed with .

Is a complication of pregnancy that can happen to any patient. Although it occurs most often during a first pregnancy, it can occur in any pregnancy. is diagnosed by persistent high blood pressure that first develops after mid-pregnancy or immediately after delivery. It is often associated with high levels of protein in the urine and/or the new development of low blood platelets, kidney or liver problems, fluid in the lungs, or signs of brain problems such as severe headache and/or visual disturbances. .

Prenatal visits are scheduled closer to the end of pregnancy. At 32 weeks in an uncomplicated pregnancy, visits are usually every two weeks; at 36 weeks they become weekly. This is to help watch for sudden changes in your or your baby’s health. Patients at higher risk are seen more often.

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Your healthcare provider should measure yours

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