Women with proteinuria during pregnancy, ranging from 1000 to 3500 mg/day of protein in urine, are at risk of adverse perinatal outcomes, according to a study published in the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

To investigate the association between proteinuria and adverse pregnancy outcomes, researchers recruited 142 pregnant women who had proteinuria during their pregnancy. Data was collected between January 2018 and December 2020. Based on the 24-hour proteinuria, 76 women were categorized as having mild proteinuria (300-1000 mg/day), 39 had moderate proteinuria with 1000-3500 mg/day of protein in the urine, while 27 women had severe proteinuria of more than 3500 mg/day.

Retrospective analysis of data revealed that women with severe proteinuria were more likely to have fetal growth restriction versus women who had mild proteinuria. Their newborns were also more likely to require intensive care and treatment in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Compared to mild and moderate proteinuria groups, women in the severe proteinuria group had higher odds of giving birth to preterm and low birth weight infants or neonatal asphyxia. The odds ratio for adverse perinatal outcomes was 97.2 for moderate proteinuria and 34 for severe proteinuria.

Pregnant women should be closely monitored for proteinuria during pregnancy. This will enable early detection of renal dysfunction. Categorizing the degree of 24-hour proteinuria is predictive of adverse pregnancy outcomes as shown in this study. Timely intervention can improve maternal and fetal outcomes.

Reference

1. Minjie Hu, et al. Association between proteinuria and adverse pregnancy outcomes: a retrospective cohort study. J Obstet Gynaecol. 2023;43(1):2126299. doi: 10.1080/01443615.2022.2126299.