Checking the amount of protein in urine is a very important pregnancy lab test . After the test, the results will appear in the form of positive urine protein along with numbers. So, what does positive urine protein 1 2 3 4 mean in pregnant women?
For mothers who don’t know, the purpose of examining protein in urine is to determine the risk of complications or preeclampsia in pregnant women.
Moreover, preeclampsia is often the cause of problems in pregnancy and childbirth. Don’t be confused anymore, let’s read the following review!
Causes of Positive Urine Protein 1 2 3 4 in Pregnant Women
In fact, everyone has some protein in their urine.
In non-pregnant individuals, the normal amount of protein in urine is about 150mg/day. During pregnancy, this amount can increase to 300mg/day.
“Our bodies go through a lot of changes during pregnancy,” says Jee Shim, MD, an ob-gyn at Long Island Jewish Forest Hills Hospital in New York.
“One of the normal or expected changes is an increase in protein levels in the urine,” explained Dr. Jee.
“If the level is higher than 300mg/day, further evaluation by your obstetrician is needed. Less than 300 mg/day is considered normal,” concluded Dr. Jee.
High protein in the urine (proteinuria) can be a sign of stress, fever, and even preeclampsia, a condition estimated to occur in 4% of pregnancies in the United States.
Preeclampsia not only causes serious risks for the mother, but also the baby.
All the time the kidneys are working hard to filter waste products from the blood while preserving things, like proteins, that the body and fetus need to grow.
Once filtered, the waste is then released into the urine. If there is protein in the urine, it is a sign that something is not working properly in your kidneys.
Outside of pregnancy, protein in the urine may increase temporarily due to:
- Emotional or physical stress (heavy exercise, for example)
- Dehydration
- Fever
- Exposure to extreme temperatures
However, there are other situations where protein in the urine could be a sign of something more serious.
Before 20 Weeks of Pregnancy
Protein during early pregnancy can be the result of an underlying condition such as diabetes, lupus , or kidney disease.
Meanwhile, protein in the urine later on can also be a symptom of preeclampsia and must be treated immediately by medical personnel.
“Protein levels in the urine can increase if the kidneys are not working as they should, so proteinuria can be a sign of kidney disease (this condition is also called chronic proteinuria),” explains Robyn Horsager-Boehrer, MD, chief of obstetrics and gynecology at UT Southwestern Medical Center.
However, there may also be underlying problems with the kidneys or other health conditions that are not necessarily related to pregnancy.
Such as heart disease, for example. Infections such as urinary tract infections can also increase protein levels in the urine and require immediate medical attention.
“For most women, having a small amount of protein in early pregnancy (before 20 weeks) is considered normal, but it is also possible that it could be a small indication of infection in the urine,” says Amy Wetter, MD, an ob-gyn at Northside Women’s Specialists, as reported on the website.Verywell Family.
After 20 Weeks of Pregnancy
If medical personnel find that your blood pressure is high after 20 weeks of pregnancy, this is something to be wary of.
Especially if accompanied by the presence of protein in the urine, the doctor will see this as an indicator of possible preeclampsia. This condition can cause damage to organs, especially the liver and kidneys.
“Not everyone with proteinuria will or even goes on to develop preeclampsia, but it is an important condition to be aware of,” says Dr. Robyn.
HELLP syndrome (hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelet count) is a similar, but more severe form of preeclampsia that can develop along with preeclampsia or on its own.
If not treated promptly, both of these conditions can cause serious complications for you and your baby.
Risk Factors for Protein in Urine During Pregnancy
What needs to be known is that pregnant women excrete more protein in their urine than before pregnancy, where the amount doubles.
The reason for this is the increased blood volume which puts more strain on the kidneys than usual. So pregnancy itself is a risk factor for protein in the urine.
This condition will be even worse for pregnancies such as the following:
- Having a family history of conditions affecting the liver and kidneys
- First pregnancy
- Mother’s age is over 35 years when pregnant
- Excessive body mass index (obesity)
- Pregnancy with twins, triplets, or higher multiples
- Long pregnancy interval (more than 10 years)
- Medical history includes chronic high blood pressure, diabetes (type 1 or type 2), lupus, migraines, and others.
- Pregnancy with in vitro fertilization ( IVF )
Other studies have shown that non-Hispanic black women are also more likely to have a pregnancy with chronic hypertension, which is a risk factor for preeclampsia .
Symptoms of Positive Urine Protein 1 2 3 4 in Pregnant Women
Closely related to kidney conditions, pregnant women generally do not feel instant symptoms.
But referring to the pageHealthline,The symptoms are similar to kidney disease, namely:
- Swelling in the ankles, wrists, or eyes
- There is a burning sensation when urinating
- Increased urination (although this is common in every pregnancy)
- Back pain (also often a normal symptom of pregnancy)
- Urine is foamy or brown or bloody
Other symptoms that are more worrying and that mothers need to pay attention to are the symptoms of preeclampsia, which include:
- Headache, especially severe headache
- Blurred vision or other vision problems (loss of vision, light sensitivity)
- Pain in the abdomen on the right side or side under the ribs
- Experiencing nausea or vomiting
- Hard to breathe
- BAK or decreased urine output
Meanwhile, it is normal for you to gain weight during pregnancy. Just make sure you tell your doctor if you experience sudden weight gain .
Gaining more than a few pounds in a week or significant swelling in the hands or face are other potential warning signs.
Test to Determine Urine Protein Levels 1 2 3 4 in Pregnant Women
According to Alice Abernathy, MD, an ob-gyn at the University of Pennsylvania, screening for high protein levels is not automatically recommended when you’re pregnant.
Unless you are at risk for certain conditions such as high blood pressure or diabetes, this screening is widely performed because it is a quick and painless procedure.
An initial urine test is usually performed at the first antenatal visit. This test is called a urine test.dipstick.
A strip will be inserted into the urine, then the color will change depending on the amount of protein detected, whether the urine protein is positive 1 2 3 4 in pregnant women or even worse than that.
If your urine protein results are above normal (above 300 mg per day), additional confirmatory tests will be performed.
Your doctor will give you a 24-hour urine protein test to monitor your protein levels more closely over a longer period of time. Your urine will be collected throughout the day for analysis.
Morning urine tests are usually skipped because high results are considered abnormal and more likely a sign of kidney or other health problems.
Meaning of Positive Urine Protein 1 2 3 4 in Pregnant Women
Maybe occasionally you have read or heard about positive urine protein 1 2 3 4 in pregnant women. This is the range of results from tests for the protein content found in the urine of pregnant women.
The result range is marked with + to ++++. The value + (+1) is the lowest, to ++++ (+4) which is the highest.
The following is an explanation of the levels of positive urine protein 1 2 3 4 in pregnant women:
- Positive urine protein 1 (+1) means there is an indication of protein leakage in the urine where the cause is related to kidney disorders.
- Positive urine protein 2 (+2) means there is a leak in the kidneys due to hypertension (high blood pressure).
- Positive urine protein 3 (+3) means that the filtering or filtration process in the kidneys has decreased.
- Positive urine protein 4 (+4) means that the kidneys are in a very serious condition and can only function at around 15-29%.
Diagnosis of High Protein in Urine
The presence of protein in the urine does not mean that you have preeclampsia.
In fact, you can still experience preeclampsia even though your urine does not contain protein. Doctors still have to look for various signs and symptoms to make an accurate diagnosis.
Preeclampsia usually occurs in the second half of pregnancy, after the 20th week, and it rarely occurs earlier or sometimes in the postpartum period.
Signs and symptoms include:
- Low platelet count
- Problems with liver function
- There are other signs of kidney problems
- Stomach ache
- Pulmonary edema (fluid in the lungs)
- New headache
- New problems with vision
Blood pressure higher than 140/90 mm Hg is high during pregnancy and is not the only sign of preeclampsia. Your doctor will look for and check other things to help diagnose it.
According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), elevated blood pressure—a reading above 140/90 mm Hg at least twice—must be present in order for you to be diagnosed with preeclampsia.
Coupled with high blood pressure, having increased levels of protein in your urine or severe symptoms of preeclampsia are what may constitute a diagnosis.
Tests that your doctor may perform include:
- Blood tests to evaluate liver function, kidney function, and the number of platelets in your blood.
- 24-hour urine collection to look for protein in your urine throughout the day.
- Ultrasonography to monitor the development of the baby and the amount of amniotic fluid in the uterus.
- Nonstress test or biophysical profile to evaluate the health status of the baby. It can reveal the baby’s heart rate in relation to their movements and breathing and muscle tone.
If you have high blood pressure but your protein levels are fine, there’s a chance you have gestational hypertension .
When high blood pressure is accompanied by high protein levels, the diagnosis is likely preeclampsia. In some people, preeclampsia can also be diagnosed without proteinuria.
Preeclampsia can be dangerous for you and your baby if not treated properly.
More serious complications including HELLP syndrome can also cause mothers to experience severe bleeding, blood clots and fluid in the lungs, and suffer from liver or kidney failure.
Ultimately, any sign of increased blood pressure requires immediate attention from your healthcare provider.
Can Protein Levels in Urine Be Lowered?
Unfortunately, Dr. Alice said there is no real way to reduce protein levels in urine during pregnancy.
So far doctors can only monitor protein levels and consider delivering the baby early if preeclampsia occurs.
Treatment also depends on the cause. If your doctor suspects that your protein levels are not related to your pregnancy, he or she may continue to monitor you after delivery.
It’s important to remember that preeclampsia is a fairly random occurrence. There’s not much a pregnant woman can do to prevent the condition itself.
“So many people who have preeclampsia are just prone to hypertension, and they will have high blood pressure problems when they are older,” explains Dr. Alice.
Preeclampsia can be treated in a variety of ways, depending on the extent of your and your baby’s condition.
The most effective treatment for preeclampsia is delivery, although that may not be possible if the pregnancy is very early.
Other treatments that can be done are:
- More frequent monitoring. Your doctor will ask you to have more regular antenatal check-ups to monitor changes in your and your baby’s health.
- Blood pressure medication. Antihypertensives can be used to lower high blood pressure.
- Complete bed rest. Doctors will regularly prescribe bed rest for those suffering from preeclampsia.
- Delivery. It is the only option for severe preeclampsia. If early delivery is necessary, your doctor will give you a corticosteroid injection to help your baby’s lungs mature. This injection is also given if you have HELLP syndrome to help your liver and platelet function. This injection can help you carry your pregnancy longer to allow your baby to develop and help develop his or her lungs if early delivery is necessary.
Without treatment for preeclampsia, you may have an increased risk of complications such as placental abruption , severe bleeding, stroke, or seizures.
In some cases, preeclampsia can be fatal, so it’s important to work with your doctor if you’re showing any of the above signs.
Most cases of protein in urine during pregnancy cannot be prevented. It is the underlying condition that can cause protein in urine to increase.
Such as diabetes, lupus, and hypertension, or also genetic or complex medical and autoimmune causes. So, Mom doesn’t need to do anything for prevention.
What you can do is check your condition with a doctor and consult on how to achieve a healthy weight during pregnancy.
Eat a healthy diet with lots of lean protein and vegetables.
Make sure you manage your blood pressure and control your blood sugar, exercise regularly, reduce your salt and caffeine intake, and ensure you get enough sleep.
***
No matter what your pregnancy condition is, the most important thing is to never miss an antenatal check-up since you found out about your pregnancy. Take all the prenatal vitamins prescribed by your doctor and do everything that is good for your health and that of your baby.
Thus the explanation regarding positive urine protein 1 2 3 4 in pregnant women. Hopefully useful.
Republished with permission from theAsianParent Indonesia
