During pregnancy, a woman is very careful about her he alth. To protect yourself and your baby, a large number of tests and examinations are taken. But after giving birth, the mother, immersed in caring for a newborn child, forgets about her he alth. This behavior is reckless, because hormonal changes continue in the postpartum period. The body undergoes changes, under the influence of which various pathological processes can occur. One of them is the appearance of protein in the urine after childbirth. What this means and what consequences it can lead to, we will analyze in the article.
What protein in urine indicates
Proteins are an important part of the body. They are involved in metabolism, are the building material for all tissues and perform a transport function. The presence of protein in the blood is a normal condition, while its detection in the urine indicates the development of a pathological process in which the kidneys begin to excreteorganism not only harmful substances, but also useful ones. The danger of this condition is that the pathology is not always accompanied by characteristic symptoms. A woman writes off a slight malaise or pain in the lower back as the consequences of caring for her baby. For this reason, when contacting a doctor, an advanced stage of a concomitant disease is diagnosed, which involves treatment with antibacterial drugs that are prohibited during breastfeeding. Therefore, it is very important to continue to take tests after childbirth.
Classification
Specialists distinguish between the following types of proteinuria (increased protein in the urine):
- Renal. Pathology is formed when the filtration function of the kidneys is impaired. At the same time, swelling and a decrease in protein in the blood are observed.
- Extrarenal. The protein is excreted in the urine with inflammatory diseases of the urinary system along with mucus. The analysis also shows the presence of elevated leukocytes and bacterial flora.
Reasons
Increased protein in the urine after childbirth in the vast majority of cases indicates a violation of the urinary system. The most common diseases that provoke deviations are:
- Pyelonephritis. An infectious disease in which inflammation of the kidney tissue occurs.
- Nephropathy.
- Urolithiasis.
- Cystitis. Bladder inflammation.
- Glomerulonephritis. A disease affecting the glomeruli of the kidneys. ATin some cases, pain is not observed, so the pathology is not diagnosed immediately.
- Preeclampsia. Accompanied by increased pressure and edema. This disease is observed during pregnancy, but often symptoms appear in the postpartum period. It is a dangerous pathology that can lead to cerebral edema or coma.
- Medication taking. These include some antibiotics, diuretics, aspirin.
In addition to the pathological causes of protein in the urine after childbirth, there are also physiological ones that do not have a strong negative effect on the body. These reasons include the following conditions:
- Physical activity. For this reason, there may be protein in the urine after childbirth for 1-2 days.
- Postpartum stress.
- Eating plenty of protein-rich foods.
- Incorrectly collected material. This is the most common reason for an erroneous test result.
- Eating dairy or meat products just before urine collection.
- Allergic reaction.
- Staying upright for a long time.
- Hypercooling.
Many are interested in how long it takes for protein in the urine to normalize after childbirth. In the absence of pathologies, after about 2 days, the analysis indicators will be within normal limits.
If the precipitating factor is ruled out, a second test will not reveal the presence of protein in the urine.
Norma
Some experts insist that the norm of protein in the urine after childbirthis its complete absence. But there are acceptable limits that should not exceed 0.08 g / l. In this case, other indicators are also taken into account - leukocytes, erythrocytes and others.
After severe stress or physical exertion, the level of protein in the urine can reach values of 0.2 g / l. But since the analysis is taken early in the morning, such indicators are unacceptable. When diagnosing a protein level of 0.14 g/l, it can be argued that there is an inflammatory process.
Rules for passing the analysis
Correctly collected material is one of the key points in the delivery of urine. Consider the basic rules, following which you can get the most accurate result.
- Net capacity. The best option is a sterile jar, which can be purchased at a pharmacy.
- Only morning urine is used for analysis. Eating and drinking before collection is not recommended, as this may affect the result.
- It is recommended to cover the vagina with a tampon, as the discharge that is present during the postpartum period may enter the urine container.
- Before collecting urine, it is recommended to wash the genitals. Do not use antiseptics.
- A middle portion of urine is used for analysis, i.e., you need to start urinating in the toilet, then substitute the container, but do not collect the material completely.
Symptoms
The presence of protein in the urine after childbirth may be accompanied by the following manifestations:
- Pain in the arealower backs radiating to the left or right side.
- Painful urination.
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Increase in temperature, which indicates the development of the inflammatory process.
- Weakness, dizziness.
- Change in color of urine.
- Feeling of numbness in the limbs.
- Increased blood pressure.
- Frequent urge to urinate, sometimes false.
- Appearance of edema.
- A blood test reveals an increase in red blood cells and white blood cells.
If the above symptoms appear after childbirth, you should consult a doctor as soon as possible and take the necessary tests.
Diagnosis
If a woman is diagnosed with protein in her urine after giving birth, do not panic, because the result may be erroneous. After a few days, the analysis should be retaken. If the result is confirmed, the doctor will collect an anamnesis, in which he will clarify the presence of concomitant symptoms, the date of delivery and the features of their course. After that, a decision will be made on further diagnostic measures that will help identify the cause of the pathology. These include:
- Ultrasound examination of the ureters and kidneys, which will help identify inflammation, cysts and neoplasms.
- Radioisotope diagnostics. The most informative diagnostic method that allows you to confirm or exclude some diseases that provoke the appearance of protein in the urine.
- MRI or computed tomography. Assess the size, structure of the kidneys and their functioning.
Treatment
After identifying the cause of the protein in the urine after childbirth, the treatment is prescribed by the doctor individually. First you need to cure the underlying disease, which provoked changes in the analysis of urine. The following drug categories may be used:
- Corticosteroids. These are hormonal drugs that have anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects. As a rule, drugs of this category are prescribed for infectious diseases. The attending physician will be able to choose the safest drugs during breastfeeding.
- Anticoagulants. Appointed to thin the blood and prevent the formation of blood clots.
- Antibacterial agents.
- Diuretics.
- Probiotics.
- Vitamin complexes.
All drugs in the postpartum period must be prescribed by a doctor who will select the permitted but effective dosage.
Diet therapy
With a small amount of protein after childbirth and no other abnormalities in the analysis, a special diet No. 7 can be recommended, in which the following products are allowed:
- Vegetarian soups.
- Lean meats and fish, steamed or boiled.
- All dairy products except cheese.
- Pasta and cereals.
- Fruits and berries.
- Weak tea.
- Decoction of wild rose.
- Uns alted butter, refined oils.
The following foods are prohibited:
- High in protein.
- Spicy dishes.
- Spices.
- Meat broth soups.
- Fatty meats and fish.
- Cheese.
- Beans.
- Garlic, onion, spinach.
- Smoked meats.
- Chocolate.
- Strong tea, coffee, mineral water.
A special condition is the complete exclusion of s alt. The allowed amount of water should be discussed with your doctor.
Conclusion
The presence of protein in the urine after childbirth is an alarming symptom, which in most cases indicates the development of pathology. If left untreated, eclampsia can develop - a condition in which blood pressure reaches its highest point, which is a threat to a woman's life.
The birth of a child is a wonderful event, but do not forget about your he alth. Ignoring the emerging symptoms can lead to serious complications that can cost a woman's he alth. It is necessary to systematically visit a doctor and take tests. With the early diagnosis of protein in the urine after childbirth, women's feedback on the results of timely treatment is more positive.
