OB not having me pee in a cup?

[proudmama4]

I am pregnant w/ twins. I have a different (more natural friendly) doctor this time around. I've had 2 visits so far, and he hasn't had me pee in a cup? He took a bunch of blood my first visit. But should I be concerned he's not having me pee in a cup? I had to do it every single visit w/ my first.

Thanks!

[Youngfrankenstein]

I'm not sure. Maybe those things you learn from a urine strip aren't as valuable til later? My hb mw had me do the dip every time as well as my OB.

[JennTheMomma]

Not sure. My HB MW has me pee in a cup each visit. I saw an OB for shadow care for awhile and he didn't have me pee in a cup at all.

[SeattleRain]

I'd be worried. They're testing for sugars in your urine which is indicative of preecclampsia. Also, do you have any history of UTI's? I have a little history of them so my doc just dips my urine for that while she has a sample. There has been a time when she's caught a minor infection before I even felt any pain from it. She didn't give me meds at that time but told me what I could do to keep it from getting to a point where I did need antibiotics.

I'd at least ask why they don't do the peeing in a cup.

[MJB]

A lot of doctors and midwives don't do them regularly anymore. If pre-e is a concern, your BP would be high and then they would check your urine for protein. The urine strips don't need to be done unless there are other symptoms. Doing them every prenatal is pointless IMO. A urine strip alone doesn't tell you anything.

[CorasMama]

except that you can start spilling protein before your bp goes up (like me). Also, I just got a UTI caught before I was symptomatic, which I'm very grateful for.

I would ask your OB why you're not peeing for them yet.

[mammabunny]

My Ob checks for protein and bacteria in my urine at each visit. The protein test is for hypertension, the bacteria is for UTI. I'm not sure, but testing for hypertension with blood may be more accurate. As for the UTI, I know that many times pregnant women have UTI's and don't really have symptoms. I had that in the beginning of my pregnancy and was prescribed antibotics. I was told an untreated UTI can quickly turn into a kidney infection and is hazardous to the baby. I also bought the UTI Azo strips at the drug store and test at home sometimes, since I had one before with no symptoms. If I were you I would just leave a urine sample every time if you can. I would ask the nurse or receptionist (not sure of the set up at your office) where you can leave a sample. My office has the cups and marker in the bathroom and the little mail door with ledge where you can leave the sample. A few times no one told me to leave a sample, so I didn't do it and later found out I needed to do it. I don't rely on anyone to tell me now, I just leave one everytime. I would talk to your Dr. about it too. Good luck.

[umsami]

I've always had to pee on demand at each and every visit. Protein and glucose were the main things. You can ask... and if it really bothers, you, you can easily buy strips OTC.

[Youngfrankenstein]

Originally Posted by MJB

Doing them every prenatal is pointless IMO. A urine strip alone doesn't tell you anything.

I liked doing them. My mw showed me what to look for the first time and then I did them on my own at the beginning of each visit. I learned a lot and really liked seeing my hydration level..

[rhiOrion]

at the birth center where i go they've only had me pee in a cup at the first appt. i do know that if they have any reason to suspect anything they will... a friend's BP started to rise, so they started having her pee in the cup.

[Bokonon]

Originally Posted by mammabunny

My Ob checks for protein and bacteria in my urine at each visit. The protein test is for hypertension, the bacteria is for UTI. I'm not sure, but testing for hypertension with blood may be more accurate.

The protein test is for proteinuria, not hypertension. Proteinuria combined with hypertension are symptoms of preeclampsia, but hypertension on its own is just elevated blood pressure.

The dipstick tests (peeing in a cup) are important because it's a screening tool. If you are dipping negative, there is probably no reason for concern. But if your dips change over time, or you are consistently dipping positively, it tells the doctor to run some more tests - ideally a 24 hour urine specimen, to see how much protein your kidneys are regularly spilling.

With my first pregnancy, I always dipped trace amounts of protein, and my baseline 24-hour was excellent. So we knew when I started dipping +2 and above, that there was a problem. I ended up having to deliver at 32 weeks due to severe preeclampsia (BPs of 200/110 and 6g of protein in my urine).

Being pregnant with multiples is a risk factor for preeclampsia, so I would definitely be insisting on regular protein checks if I were the OP.

[lifeguard]

I never peed in a cup (or on a strip) my entire pregnancy with ds.

[marcib28]

I haven't peed in a cup since my first appt and I'm due in 2 weeks. I asked why this was and my OB told me that they have found that nothing is gained from testing the urine. They said if there are risk factors for certain things or any signs of something from BP or what not, then they will start testing it. I'm just so low-risk that they don't test mine... I would think that they'd be able to find things earlier by testing your urine regularly. I kind of wish my OB checked mine occasionally. It would at least make me feel more reassured...

[sheriwx]

I've had two different OBs and one midwife with my 3 pregnancies, all have had me pee in a cup at every visit. They make it seem pretty important. Maybe ask you doctor why?

[Astraia]

My old OB didn't start urine tests until 26 weeks, he said they never found anything useful prior to that point so they don't bother.

My current OB has test strips in the bathroom, and you test yourself if you feel like it. He doesn't ask about the results and doesn't care unless something else comes up (ie, high BP or what have you).

I wouldn't worry about it that much. The urine test strips are more to add information to a diagnosis, they don' diagnose anything on their own from what I understand.

[WaitingForKiddos]

My OB didnt start taking pee until after 12 weeks. It's the 'pee in the cup and give it to us' thing. They don't tell you the results...unless they're bad I guess.
My MW starts it at the first appt. You test your own pee and tell MW what the strip says.

[Peony]

Many providers are moving away from using them, they really are not evidence based care anymore. I have used 4 different providers with my different pgs and only one practice used them.

[proudmama4]

I asked my OB at my appt. yesterday. He said he used to for many many years routinely do them, because they were recommended by ACOG. But he said he never really thought they gave that much information. He said 2 years ago ACOG changed their stance and stopped recommending it. That is when he stopped as well. He did say if I were to have an elevated blood pressure at any point, or if I was retaining water, he would do the urine screen. This makes sense to me. Plus I am healthy, thin, and have great blood pressure.

I have asked my doula (also a homebirth midwife) her thoughts on the matter too. Waiting for her opinion.

[nia82]

You can buy urine stick to do the pee test at home. I have them since I get weird UTIs. It tests for things such as blood in the urine, glucose, proteins, leucocytes, ketones etc.... It is not hard to these tests at home

http://midwifesupplies.com/Urinalysi...s-PES0062.html

I got them for free from my MD sister, but the price isn't bad I think.

[Gingercat]

Wow, I've never heard such a thing before! Pee in a cup in almost every visit???
Here we do a proper urine test (lab based) about two times throughout our entire pregnancy, unless of of course there's an indication for a UTI. But still it'd be a lab test and not an instant test with a strip.

Funny how these practices differ in each country