The health status of the woman carrying the baby is under special control by gynecologists. It is no coincidence that expectant mothers so often take blood and urine tests until the last weeks of pregnancy. Any pathological changes in the body must be detected in the early stages, then they are easier to treat. But panic for any deviations in the analysis from the norm is not worth it. So, blood in the urine during pregnancy does not always indicate serious diseases. We will talk about the reasons for its appearance, methods of diagnosis and treatment in our article.
What does it mean if blood is detected in the urine?
Pregnancy is accompanied by an increased load on the internal organs and body systems. It is during this period that chronic diseases often aggravate, which at normal times have not bothered a woman for a long time. So, the appearance of blood in the urine may indicate inflammatory processes in the genitourinary system. This condition, in turn, poses a threat to the health of the future mother and the life of the child. Even insignificant deviations of the results of urine and blood tests during pregnancy from normative indicators are a reason for immediate medical attention and further examination.
However, do not worry too much in advance. Sometimes a discoloration of urine can be caused by completely safe and even healthy foods, such as beets. But even the normal color of the urine does not mean that the analysis will not reveal any deviations. Often, it is stained only with very serious pathologies that are accompanied by dangerous symptoms.
Blood in the urine during pregnancy: causes not dangerous to the mother and fetus
From the moment of conception, a number of physiological changes take place with the expectant mother, and all of them are the norm for the successful bearing of the fetus. It is these transformations that can be called the main cause of a woman's blood in the urine during pregnancy.
The fact is that as the uterus grows, the uterus begins to squeeze the ureters and the bladder. This, in turn, leads to stagnation of urine and impaired circulation. As a result, red blood cells leak through the walls of the bladder and mix with urine. This condition does not threaten the health of the future mother and the development of the baby. Treatment in this case is not required. After birth, all tests will be normal again.
The second reason for the appearance of blood in morning urine is the hormonal changes that occur during pregnancy. These deviations should also not cause concern for a woman bearing a child.
Pathological causes of blood in the urine during pregnancy
In addition to physiological, there are more dangerous causes of the appearance of blood blotches during urination:
- Urolithiasis disease. Blood impurities in the urine occur as a result of damage to the walls of the bladder with sand and small stones that move along the channels of the ureters. Advancement of calculi is accompanied by sharp pain. In this case, urine acquires a pinkish tint.
- Inflammatory diseases of the genitourinary system. Often during pregnancy, a woman is diagnosed with cystitis - inflammation of the mucous membrane of the bladder. This disease is characterized by frequent and painful urination. Blood in the urine during pregnancy is also found in pyelonephritis, an inflammation of the kidneys.
- Uterine bleeding. Blood in the urine is a discharge that can be a symptom of placental abruption or premature birth.
- Malignant neoplasms. Tumors in the genitourinary organs as they grow can injure the walls of the vessels, which leads to the formation of blood clots in the urine.
- Pathology. We are talking about the anatomical features of the organs of the urinary system, which are corrected surgically.
Causes of blood in the urine at different times
Bright red clots during urination can appear at any week of pregnancy. Blood in urine in the first trimester is usually associated with hormonal changes in the body. If her appearance does not cause discomfort to the expectant mother, treatment is usually not required. Enough regular medical supervision and timely delivery of the necessary tests.
The appearance of blood clots in the II and III trimesters is most often associated with the growth of the uterus, weighting and squeezing of the urethra and kidneys, impaired circulation and damage to blood vessels. But it is worth paying more attention to your condition, since it can cause disturbances in the development of the fetus, premature birth or weak labor.
Dangerous symptoms
The appearance of blood in the urine during pregnancy rarely goes away on its own, except after delivery, if the deviations in the analyzes were caused by physiological reasons. Specific manifestations may not be. If blood impurities during urination have arisen as a result of pathological changes in the body, the following symptoms may additionally be observed in a pregnant woman:
- pain in the lumbar region or bladder;
- cramping when urinating;
- weight loss;
- weakness, dizziness, increased fatigue;
- sharp jumps in blood pressure and temperature;
- lack of appetite.
If pain in the lower abdomen or lower back is accompanied by fever, nausea, vomiting and a general deterioration of the body, the pregnant woman should immediately consult a doctor.
Pathology Diagnostics
Since it is visually quite difficult to determine blood in the urine in any condition, including during pregnancy, a woman is prescribed:
- General urine analysis. For the study, a morning dose of urine is collected. To ensure that the analysis is reliable, the vagina is closed with a cotton swab, and the collected fluid is delivered to the laboratory no later than 2 hours after urination.
- Urinalysis according to Nechiporenko. For the study, daily urine is taken, collected by a woman within 24 hours. The analysis reveals blood even in 1 ml of liquid.
- Urine analysis in three glasses. A woman should divide the morning dose of urine into three times: when urinating, the first portion is collected in one glass, the next in the second, and the last in the third. This approach allows you to accurately determine the location of the focus of inflammation. If blood is detected in the first glass, this indicates damage to the urethra, in the second - about pathological changes in the kidneys, in the third - about problems in the bladder.
In addition, you may need to give urine sowing or ultrasound.
Disease treatment
If during pregnancy a general urinalysis shows blood, the next step should be to determine the root cause of this symptom. In general, therapeutic treatment is prescribed based on the results of diagnostic studies:
- with cystitis, antibiotics, antispasmodics and diuretics that improve fluid outflow are treated;
- with vaginitis, douching with antibacterial solutions is prescribed;
- with urolithiasis, they resort to crushing or removing stones;
- with injuries of the genitourinary system hemostatic drugs are used;
- in chronic pathological processes, gentle therapy is prescribed drugs that are safe for the fetus.
Preventive actions
Any woman carrying a baby should understand that only the health and safety of the fetus depends on her. That is why she should completely exclude from her life or try to avoid, if possible, factors that can provoke abnormalities in the body during pregnancy. To prevent the appearance of blood secretions in the urine, you should:
- avoid overcooling, drafts, sitting in cold places;
- adhere to a gentle regime of the day;
- observe a diet, refuse fatty, smoked, spicy and salty foods;
- regularly attend antenatal clinics and your doctor;
- systematically take prescribed tests and perform the appointments of your obstetrician-gynecologist.
Any disorders in the body and pathology that caused the appearance of traces of blood in the urine during pregnancy should be diagnosed and cured without fail.
Women's reviews
It is during pregnancy that most women encounter such a problem as the appearance of blood particles during urination. If deviations are detected for the first time, an additional urinalysis is prescribed. If it also shows the presence of blood traces, in this case, additional studies are carried out to determine the cause of the pathological condition.
According to reviews, in many women, deviations in the analyzes were accompanied by pulling pain in the lumbar region and in the lower abdomen. In this condition, pregnant women were hospitalized at any time in the hospital, where he underwent appropriate treatment.
To prevent the disease, some pregnant women:
- starting from the second trimester several times a day they took an elbow-elbow position to relieve stagnation in the kidneys;
- used cranberry juice;
- drank lingonberry leaf (in bags), which, according to reviews, helps restore urine outflow.
Subject to the prescription of a doctor, pregnant women can quite easily cope with this problem.