Midwifery Today Community

Hello,

Does anyone know of an easy way to explain what protein in their urine means to a pregnant woman?  

Can you simply say that protein is failing to reabsorb into the bloodstream by the kidneys and is "spilling" into the urine?   I know the process is so much more complicated than that and I'm oversimplifying......but I dont' know many moms that want to get into an in depth conversation about the function of her glomerular endotheliosis and the size of her protein albumin.   ;)

Thank you, this helped me understand better too.  

In the community I work in it is surprisingly common for women to spill protein, even without high blood pressure.  Is just including more protein and nutrients in their diet the only advice to remedy this? 

When you find protein on the stick, look at the specific gravity too.  Highly concentrated urine can give you a false positive.  (I'm sure you know that....but I'm saying this to those who may read this and not know.)

The standard response to protienuria is to intake more protein.  I think kidney support would be effective.  Cut out caffeine and other things that stress the kidneys.  (I'm not sure if other midwives give that advice but it seems like common sense to me.)

:)

Lots of other sources for protein in urine- blood, semen, etc. It is not a very specific test. Nettles to nourish and cleanse the kidneys. You would need to do blood work to really tell what is going on.

Thanks to both of you.  I didnt know that about the urine concentration effecting protein reading.  I'm just a student, but live in a remote area so I get called on to give check-ups and other things that I'm not always as prepared for as I'd like to be!  It is a dry climate so that would make sence, also their diet is low in protien.  This helped this topic fall into place a little more for me, thanks again.