Why is urine collected at each prenatal visit?
It’s pretty important to give a urine sample (at least 1-2 oz) at each prenatal to help measure the levels of protein, sugar, and possible bacteria in your urine. My midwives leave the urine testing up to me by having me collect and test my own sample, however, if you are at a hospital or health clinic you will be asked to urinate into a small cup and leave it in the bathroom or hand it to a nurse.
Because conditions can change throughout pregnancy, it is important to remember to drink a little extra water before each prenatal, to ensure you can contribute at each appointment
So what is important about protein? Protein in the urine or Proteinuria can indicate a UTI, kidney infection or a sign of pre-eclampsia later in pregnancy.
As for sugar, usually, there is no sugar, or very little, in the urine. When there is sugar present, that can be a sign of gestational diabetes, where excess blood sugar spills into the urine. Generally, a pregnant woman is given the option to have a glucose test between 24/28 weeks to test for this.
Bacteria in the urine is a sure sign of an infection. Left untreated, a UTI can cause significant problems, even if there are no symptoms present.
Ketones are also tested for. If high levels are found it can lead to ketoacidosis Treatment for this is often in a hospital, but your doctor will investigate why the levels are there, to begin with – if your eating or drinking is to blame and you are able to keep food down without a problem, hospitalization probably wont be required
