Hooper D E
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Morehouse College, School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
J Reprod Med. 1996 Dec;41(12):885-8.
To assess why urine collection and analysis for proteinuria and glycosuria is routinely performed during each antepartum visit at prenatal clinics.
Six hundred ten antepartum medical records were reviewed.
One hundred nine (18%) patients had proteinuria, while 17 patients (2.8%) developed preeclampsia. Fifteen patients (2.5%) had at least one episode of glycosuria (100 mg/dL), while 11 had gestational diabetes. Of those with gestational diabetes, four (36%) had glycosuria. Of those with preeclampsia, three (17.7%) had proteinuria that preceded the finding of hypertension.
These results support our observation that routine oral 50-g glucose diabetes screening and careful monitoring of blood pressure are better screens for gestational diabetes and preeclampsia. The increased patient inconvenience and clinic staffing necessary for routine urinalysis may be avoided by eliminating that ritual.
