It can be frustrating to try to get pregnant. You’ve been trying for some time and still haven’t conceived. Maybe you’re even undergoing fertility treatments that are costing quite a bit of money. Or perhaps your doctor has told you that you have low levels of Progesterone and Clomid is the only thing that will help you. But what if these aren’t the best options?
Increase in blood volume during pregnancy cause protein in Urine and put some extra load on kidney.
What is protein in urine?
Protein in urine (proteinuria) is a condition where there are high levels of protein in the urine. Protein in urine can be a sign of kidney disease and other conditions, but it’s most often a normal part of pregnancy.
During pregnancy, the hormone progesterone increases the amount of fluid that your body retains. This causes your kidneys to work harder to filter out waste products from your blood. This can lead to an increase in protein in your urine, which can be detected with a simple test at your doctor’s office.
How do doctors diagnose protein in my urine?
Your doctor will likely perform a test called a urinalysis on you if they suspect that you have protein in your urine. Your doctor may also order other tests, such as X-rays or ultrasound scans, to look for signs of problems with your kidneys or urinary tract.
How much protein is too much protein?
You may have heard that protein is good for you, but how much protein is too much? According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the recommended daily allowance of protein for adults is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight.
Protein is important for growth, repairing cells and muscles, making enzymes and hormones, and maintaining organs. A lack of protein can lead to fatigue, weakness, loss of appetite and weight loss.However, consuming too much protein can lead to problems such as kidney damage or even death if untreated.
Causes of proteinuria during pregnancy
Pregnancy is a time when some women experience changes in their urinary tract. The kidneys and bladder are affected by hormones that cause the body to retain more fluid, which can lead to proteinuria (protein in urine).
The most common causes of excess protein in urine during pregnancy include:
- Preeclampsia, a condition affecting pregnant women with high blood pressure and protein in the urine, which can be serious if left untreated
- Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), which is high blood sugar (glucose) during pregnancy that usually begins after the 20th week of gestation
Pre-eclampsia or high blood pressure
Protein in urine is a common sign of pre-eclampsia and high blood pressure. It occurs when protein leaks out of the blood vessels and into the urine.
Protein in the urine doesn’t always mean you have pre-eclampsia, but it is one of the most common symptoms. Your doctor will test your urine for protein to determine if it’s affecting your kidneys.
Your doctor may also test your blood pressure, which may be high because of pre-eclampsia. Pre-eclampsia can also cause headaches, blurred vision and swelling in your face or hands and feet.
Gestational diabetes
Protein in urine can be caused by a variety of factors. In some cases, it may be a sign of a serious health problem.
Here are some things that can cause protein in urine:
- Proteinuria
This is the medical term for having protein in your urine. It’s not uncommon for some pregnant women to have protein in their urine during pregnancy. If you have protein in your urine, it usually doesn’t have any serious health implications and goes away after delivery.
- Gestational diabetes
This is high blood sugar that develops during pregnancy. Gestational diabetes affects about 7 percent of pregnancies, according to the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). Gestational diabetes can lead to complications for both mother and baby, including miscarriage, stillbirth, preeclampsia and birth defects such as heart problems and skeletal muscle problems.
Another type of kidney disease called glomerulonephritis
This causes the kidneys to leak protein into the urine. Glomerulonephritis is most common in children and young adults.
- Cancer of the kidneys or bladder
Infection in your urinary tract — such as a urinary tract infection (UTI) or kidney infection (pyelonephritis).
- Kidney stones that cause bleeding in your urinary tract
Certain medications, such as some blood pressure medicines and certain antibiotics, can increase levels of protein in your urine.Certain foods such as soybeans, pistachios and pomegranates may also make you produce more urine than normal.
- A urinary tract infection
Protein in urine during pregnancy is not a cause for alarm. It can mean that you have an infection or other urinary tract problem, however.
A urinary tract infection (UTI) is one of the most common causes of protein in your urine during pregnancy. UTIs are usually caused by bacteria entering the urethra. The bacteria may come from outside sources, such as sexual intercourse or using public toilets, or from bacteria inside your body.
If you have a UTI, it’s important to take antibiotics as soon as possible to prevent the infection from spreading further into your body and causing serious problems for both mother and baby.
High levels of protein in urine during pregnancy
The most common causes of high levels of protein in urine during pregnancy are:
- Preeclampsia is a condition that can affect pregnant women between the 20th and 27th week of pregnancy. It involves high blood pressure and excess protein in the urine. Women with preeclampsia may have swelling, headaches and changes in vision, but it can also lead to seizures and stroke.
- Gestational diabetes is a type of diabetes that develops only during pregnancy. It’s characterized by high blood sugar levels and can cause complications for both mother and baby. Gestational diabetes doesn’t usually disappear after delivery and may require ongoing treatment after delivery.
- Chronic kidney disease (CKD), which includes conditions like renal tubular acidosis, glomerulonephritis and polycystic kidney disease, can cause protein in urine during pregnancy or preexisting CKD may worsen during pregnancy due to increased pressure on your kidneys from your growing uterus.
Conclusion
Kidney problems are most common cause of protein in urine during pregnancy. Other causes would be: dehydration, muscle breakdown and urinary tract infections. Provided that it is not severe enough to be a cause for concern, there really should be no need to see the doctor if you have isolated episodes of proteinuria during pregnancy.
