Ah, pregnancy. That beautiful time when a woman's body is flooded with hormones and her bladder is constantly under stress. One thing that many people don't know about pregnancy is that a lot can be revealed by taking a peek at a woman's pee. Yes, you read that right: urine can tell us all sorts of things about what's going on in there.
Why Urine?
Now, I know what you're thinking: "Why urine? Can't we just look at belly bumps or something?" While it would be great if getting an accurate picture without having to analyze someone else’s waste was possible, unfortunately it isn’t so easy – but here are some reasons why urine analysis (sorry) is so important:
Ease of Collection
Collecting urine samples does not require invasive procedures (like ultrasounds or amniocentesis) making them an ideal way to get a variety of information about pregnancies.
Cost-Effective
It also happens to be cost-effective since physicians do not have to procure equipment as sophisticated as those needed for MRI scans etc.
Non-Invasive Diagnostic Tool
As mentioned above - collecting urine itself doesn't hurt one bit which makes testing less intimidating especially when dealing with pregnant women already facing discomforts from bodily changes typical during this period./users/winnyminnie/Desktop/urinalysis.jpg
Diet
You might think food only affects digestion but no! It affects your pee too! Your diet before and throughout the course of your pregnancy gives pretty valuable insight into health issues both minor and major with respect to the maternal metabolic activity.
Some foods affect urinary pH levels causing slight alkalinic or acidic nature based off which medication requirements may alter consequently. Similarly protein-rich diets will reflect high amounts of urea while fruity-smelling ones indicate uncontrolled blood glucose levels raising suspicions against probability gestational diabetes.
It's important to monitor and change diet as required; ultimately urinary changes should be viewed objectively and discussed with a doctor.
Color Indicates More Than You Think
Do not underestimate pee color! It tells what our eyes can't see. Here is the deal: Pregnant women require more fluids and so, frequent urination. Evaluating urine hue sets out vital pointers like:
Adequate Hydration
The first thing that comes everyone’s mind when color of pee is mentioned is hydration level which isn’t incorrect since darker-colored urine indicates dehydration thereby risk of pre-term labor due to inadequate amniotic fluid levels reason why it must never be ignored.
Pregnancy-Related Bleeding
Bloody red/hinted urine or blood clots on the other hand can spell disaster alerting doctors to potential issues like gestational hypertension or placenta previa – both serious complications requiring immediate medical intervention!
Odor
So…you thought only number two smelled? Ha! Pee smell could suggest presence/potential for infections ie (cloudy & strong-smelling) Pyelonephritis - should always warrant further testing & treatment from qualified personnel/diagnostic labs!
| Odor | Possible Reason |
|---|---|
| Ammonia | amino acid/protein metabolism |
| Sweet | ketonuria |
| Fruity | Diabetes |
| Musty | Liver Disease / Trimethylaminuria |
| Penicillin(ish) | UTIs/chloroform/ Trichomoniasis |
Sugar Levels
We all have natural sugars in our body but high sugar levels aren't good news in pregnancy at all./users/winnyminnie/Desktop/sugarlevel.jpg
Two conditions are possibilities here: Gestational diabetes(most common)indicated by consistent elevated glucose, Polyhydramnios (excessive amniotic fluid produced due to gestational diabetes) indicated by assessment of both glucose levels and urine volume.
Specific Gravity
The density of the sample relative to water gives us information on pregnant woman's kidneys function. The higher the specific gravity, the less hydrated she is. Also note that large values for SG may indicate pre-clampsia!
Body temperature affects urinary concentration too normally this reading will fall in vicinity 1.002-1.040/kg but a big leap indicates imminent danger warranting medical attention.
Nitrogen Compounds
Ammonia, Uric Acid and Creatinine concentrations permit doctors assess organ functionality specifically liver & kidney allowing them timeous intervention towards corrective measures before complications like Pre-eclampsia or HELLP syndrome manifest predominantly evident with high creatinine readings.
pH
Urine acidity remains key illuminator, as previously mentioned during consumption specific diet or even bacterial growth within urinary tract could cause it to waver from normal range(unfavorable for fetus). Overly acidic/Alkalinity will require prompt management lest critical issues arise.
| pH Level | What It Indicates |
|---|---|
| Less than 5 | High risk for bacteriuria |
| 7 | Infection in Urinary Tract |
| Greater than 8 | Diuretic , Vitamin-C ingestion etc |
So there we have it folks! All the interesting ways one can keep tabs on pregnancy progress via urinalysis; finally understanding our pee beyond its use... Or poop..innuendos!