Proteinuria during pregnancy: definition, pathophysiology, methodology and clinical significance

Qualitative and/or quantitative measurement of urine protein excretion is one of the most common tests performed during pregnancy. For more than 100 years, proteinuria was necessary for the diagnosis of preeclampsia, but recent guidelines recommend that proteinuria is sufficient but not necessary for the diagnosis. Still, in clinical practice, the majority of patients with gestational hypertension will be diagnosed with preeclampsia based on the presence of proteinuria. While the reference standard for measuring urinary protein excretion is a 24-hour urine collection, spot urine protein creatinine ratio is a reasonable “rule-out” test for proteinuria.
Source: American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology - Category: OBGYN Authors: Tags: Expert Review Source Type: research