Periodically undergoing preventive examinations and tests is the most effective way to monitor your health and take timely measures to support it. But in anticipation of pregnancy, as well as during it, a woman needs to monitor her condition doubly carefully, because now she is responsible not only for her life. The simplest and at the same time quite informative method of control is a monthly general urine test (UCA). But sometimes a woman may be sent to take a urine test according to Nechiporenko; such cases are not uncommon during pregnancy. What kind of study is this, why is it prescribed and how to correctly collect a urine test according to Nechiporenko for pregnant women.
Why is a urine test done?
The current state of the body will be revealed by studies performed on the basis of various secretions of a pregnant woman. You understand that urine is a product of the work of the kidneys and bladder, so it can be used to indicate the state of the urinary system. And during the period of bearing a child, they can seriously worsen.
There are many reasons, including:
- the volume of fluid doubles, which leads to serious stress on the kidneys;
- The uterus grows, pressing on the kidneys and bladder.
Quite often, the uterus presses on the mucous membrane of the vulva, which turns out slightly. And this contributes to its regular irritation, as a result, the infection penetrates quickly and, let me tell you, at the most inopportune moment. This is why doctors often diagnose pregnant women with vulvitis or vulvovaginitis.
One more point - if before the “interesting situation” the woman did not have obvious problems with the kidneys, then after conception they may appear. That is why it is so important to undergo a general urine test, as well as other types of studies, in a timely manner.
Prevention measures
To improve overall health and prevent the development of pathologies, especially during pregnancy, it is necessary to adhere to certain standards and observe preventive measures.
- The act of urination should be carried out at the slightest urge. Holding back urine and overfilling the bladder can lead to stagnation and infection.
- For the same purpose, you need to maintain a drinking regime, drinking at least 1.2-21 liters of liquid per day.
- After emptying, you should thoroughly wipe the labia with a sanitary napkin (from top to bottom) or wash them with a small amount of warm water and dry with a towel.
- To prevent the occurrence and spread of infection and keep the genitals clean, you should use soft hygiene products with a neutral odor before and after intimacy.
It is always easier to prevent a disease, since treatment can take a lot of effort and money and may not lead to a complete elimination of the problem. A healthy lifestyle and compliance with the rules of prevention are of great importance and will help to completely avoid or minimize the risks of developing kidney pathologies. But if strange symptoms occur, you should immediately consult a specialist. Pregnancy is an important period, and a woman is responsible not only for her life, but also for the life of her unborn baby.
Detects inflammation
So, we have found out why they donate urine for research, but there is a special type - according to Nechiporenko. Thanks to it, the doctor determines whether there is an inflammatory process in the urinary system.
This type of research is prescribed when a general analysis shows deviations from the norm. For example, leukocytes were found in the urine, as well as red blood cells, protein and other components that, in principle, should not be present in large quantities in urine.
If a general urine test is far from normal, this indicates the presence of various diseases, including:
- pyelonephritis or glomerulonephritis;
- urolithiasis disease;
- cystitis or urethritis.
And this is not the entire list of possible ailments.
Doctors prescribe urine analysis according to Nechiporenko under the following circumstances:
- changes in urine color;
- deviations in acidity parameters;
- cloudy urine with sediment.
In addition, studies of this nature are prescribed in the presence of chronic diseases present in the urinary tract.
Causes of high red blood cell count
If red blood cells are found in the expectant mother's urine, the doctor will find out the cause of the hematuria. First of all, he must exclude pathological conditions of the kidneys and cancer. In this case, a woman should not panic, since the appearance of red blood cells in the urine is not always an indicator of a serious illness. Perhaps we are talking about errors in urine collection or more harmless conditions.
Experts distinguish between true and false hematuria. In the case of true pathology, red blood cells are processed by the kidney tubules. This phenomenon means that pathological changes have occurred in the upper organs of the urinary system. If the analysis shows intact blood cells, it means that we are not talking about a true process, that is, the disease has affected the bladder and urethra.
Let us highlight the main causes of hematuria:
- urolithiasis (stones injure the walls of the bladder and ureters, causing minor bleeding);
- pressure of the uterus on the genitourinary system, which often causes stagnation of urine and provokes disorders of the urinary organs;
- bleeding from the genital tract;
- sexually transmitted infections;
- cystitis, pyelonephritis, glomerulonephritis;
- cervical erosion;
- colpitis;
- hormonal disorders;
- injuries of the renal tubules and ureters;
- diabetes;
- quality composition of consumed water;
- scratches, cuts and scratches in the groin area;
- sedentary lifestyle;
- stress factors;
- hot weather.
To find out what caused the appearance of red blood cells in the urine during pregnancy, after examining the woman, a specialist prescribes the following additional tests:
- colposcopy - examination of the condition of the cervix using a special colposcope (microscope);
- gynecological vaginal smear;
- bacteriological culture from the mucous membrane of the cervix and urethra to study the microflora to exclude possible infections, in particular Trichomonas;
- Ultrasound of the kidneys and pelvic organs;
- blood tests: repeated general and Nechiporenko tests.
Features of the analysis
The Nechiporenko analysis is a difficult study, so it should be taken seriously. You should definitely know how to properly give urine to a pregnant woman. To hope for good results, you should go on a diet for several days.
It is necessary to exclude from the diet all foods that have a coloring effect. How to identify them? These are all red and orange fruits - cherries, beets and others. In addition, you should not abuse meat, fish, eggs. No alcohol, and physical activity should be moderate.
In addition, an adult must tell the doctor about what medications he is taking. They can also influence the outcome. This preparation will allow you to be confident that you will receive reliable information about your health.
The collection scheme itself looks like this:
- Only morning urine is collected, and no more than two hours should pass before the material is submitted to the laboratory;
- an average portion of urine is collected, that is, initially the woman must urinate into the toilet, then into the container and the last urine back into the toilet;
- the volume of material should be from 50 to 100 ml; it is better to use disposable special containers.
So, now you know what kind of urine to donate, how to do it correctly, all that remains is to remind you that careful hygiene of the genital organs is required before the procedure.
Rules for preparing for research
Following these rules will help you avoid retakes and incorrect results:
- For 1-2 days before donation, do not consume foods that can change the color of urine. Natural sources of pigment include beets, carrots, cherries, blueberries, tomatoes and a number of other “colored” vegetables and fruits. Artificial dyes are not useful both during urine testing and during pregnancy in general. The same goes for alcohol. It is also advisable not to overuse protein foods (fish, meat, eggs, legumes), pickles and spicy foods.
- You must inform your doctor about the medications you are taking.
- Avoid sudden changes in drinking regime. The best option is the usual 2 liters of water per day.
- Stop taking diuretics or vitamin complexes.
- Do not overload the body physically and emotionally.
The secret of quality collection
It is important to remember that female secretions contain a large amount of protein and this will most negatively affect the interpretation of a urine test. And even if you do not have a pathology, studies can show it. Is it possible for a pregnant woman to donate urine in a jar from, for example, mayonnaise?
Yes, but you will need to carefully prepare it, mandatory sterilization. If you did not buy a special jar at the pharmacy, then it is better to take a container of fruit puree; it will not contain animal proteins, which can easily spoil the whole picture of the analysis result.
What else needs to be done to obtain reliable information about the condition of the urinary system? Be sure to collect urine with a cotton pad. They need to cover the vagina so that foreign matter, including protein, does not get into the urine.
By the way, a cotton pad can be replaced with a tampon. It all depends on your preferences. If you follow these simple rules, your result will be reliable. In this regard, it is much easier for a man to get tested.
It is also not difficult for a child to get tested. I advise you to cover the anus when collecting urine from a girl. By the way, the parameters of blood, urine and cerebrospinal fluid undergo serious changes over time. Which ones exactly?
The book by L.A. talks about this. Danilova “Analyses of blood, urine and other biological fluids of humans at different age periods.”
All information is presented in accessible language, and the analysis of explanations is given from the birth of the child to his most advanced years - 80-90. An entire section is devoted to the diagnosis of oncological diseases, with reference limits for the parameters of all types of oncology.
Are there other ways
Urinalysis according to Nechiporenko and according to Zimnitsky is often confused. We have figured out how the first one is done, but here are a few words about the second one. What does it show? Concentration function of the kidneys. Zimnitsky studies are prescribed to confirm renal failure, chronic glomerulonephritis, diabetes insipidus or hypertension.
The scheme for submitting material for analysis is completely different from what is required for research on Nechiporenko. The question of where is the best place for a pregnant woman to have a urine test is also important. Choose trusted laboratories. The qualifications of the specialist deciphering the analysis data plays a big role in this case.
Like sterile container for analysis 120 ml - this is what you need in order to get a high-quality analysis result. The container is designed specifically for collecting urine. No foreign substances will enter the container. It is in such a container that the material will be perfectly preserved for laboratory research.
Girls!
As you can see, donating urine according to the Nechiporenko scheme is not so difficult if you follow certain rules. Do your friends need to submit urine for this study? Be sure to tell them about the article on social media to prevent them from making common mistakes.
What the analysis will show
You must understand that the advantage of this study is the ability to obtain data on the state of the body from several positions of various formulas at once:
- leukocyte;
- erythrocyte;
- cylindrical.
If your leukocytes are elevated, then research according to Nechiporenko will show the reason. To do this, the laboratory studies the composition of urine at the cellular level. On forums, mothers often share what pathologies were identified in them based on the results of the analysis.
For example, an increased number of leukocytes will indicate that there is an inflammatory process in the body. And if the red blood cells are higher than normal, this indicates that the mucous membrane or glomerular apparatus of the kidneys is damaged.
As for the casts, if there is no pathology, then the analysis reveals hyaline casts. In fact, this is the primary protein of urine that has not had time to be reabsorbed.
Urinalysis according to Nechiporenko: normal values
Shaped elements | Normal quantities |
Red blood cells | No more than 1000 |
Leukocytes | No more than 2000 |
Cylinders | No more than 20 |
To be honest, not all doctors accept this normal scale. For example, modern experts say that the leukocyte count can be increased from 2000 to 4000 units. But it seems to me that here you just need to correctly take the material for research. How can we, people far from medicine, understand what is written on the treasured sheet with research results?
Inna Izmailova in her book “How to read blood, urine and stool tests. Home Directory" talks about this in some detail.
Understanding what problems have arisen in your body, you can more effectively talk with your doctor and find out from him what the threat of this or that condition is. This, by the way, is especially important for parents who care about the health of their children.