Overcoming Pregnancy Challenges

Kidney disease is a serious concern for women who become pregnant because it can put your body and the developing baby at risk for serious complications. While you may not recognize blatant symptoms of kidney disease right away, there are some things that you can be attentive to. The following are three common indications of kidney disease in pregnant women. The sooner you spot these signs, the sooner you and your obstetrician can treat the problem.  

Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections

The presence of urinary tract infections can be an indication of the presence of kidney disease. If you develop a urinary tract infection in pregnancy, it's important that you get treatment right away. Talk with your obstetrician about it as well, because he or she may need to test you for other kidney disease signs. In addition, he or she will want to watch for indications of low birth weight risk or the possibility of premature delivery. Both of these can be a risk with urinary tract infections and kidney disease during pregnancy.

High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure during pregnancy, commonly referred to as preeclampsia, is a serious concern. Fluid retention, which can be caused by kidney disease, can lead to high blood pressure. If you develop preeclampsia, it's important that your obstetrician watch for other signs of kidney disease and test your kidney function. High blood pressure can cause damage to your vascular system, which can even cause further damage by affecting the blood vessels in the kidneys.

Increased Levels of Creatinine

Creatinine levels are another thing that your obstetrician will use to evaluate your kidney function. It's one of the things that is usually tested as part of your urinalysis at each appointment. When your kidneys are compromised, your creatinine levels will increase, because creatinine is a byproduct of creatine breakdown. If your obstetrician detects increased levels of creatinine in your urine, he or she may want to do a complete kidney screening to test the general function of your kidneys.

As you can see, there are some key indications that pregnant women should watch for when it comes to kidney function. Particularly during pregnancy, your kidney function and risk of kidney disease are important. If your obstetrician detects any of these key warning signs or has any other reason to be concerned about your kidneys during your pregnancy, he or she may ask for more frequent or more detailed testing on a regular basis.