Being Pregnant
24-Hour Urine Collection Test
Look to your immediate left. Isn’t that a lovely orange jug?
Right now, I have an orange container exactly like the ones pictured here, sitting in my refrigerator, filled with every ounce of urine that I have produced today. Great, right?
At my 37-week OB appointment yesterday, it was discovered that my blood pressure is apparently through-the-roof. It was one of those situations when the nurse first asks you to pull up your sleeve, and then they try the other arm, and then they force you to sit alone in the room for fifteen minutes to relax before trying again.
I am also having a little swelling in my feet at this stage in my pregnancy, so my doctor ordered that I do a 24-hour urine collection in order to test for protein in my urine.
At this point in pregnancy, protein in urine can be a sign of preeclampsia when it’s accompanied by high blood pressure.
Depending on the results of my test, we may have to look at delivering the baby early.
After having my cervix checked, I also found out that I am still not dilated at all. Double bummer.
I know that I may have a few weeks left, but I am really starting to get tired, and even a little depressed.
Did you have to take a 24-hour urine collection test? How did it turn out?
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6 Comments
Shandeigh commented on Dec 07 11 at 2:34 pmI had to do this when I was pregnant… I got put on bed rest. Which was great because I was sooooo over working at that point. lol.
Jennifer commented on Dec 07 11 at 3:34 pmat my 37 week appt on Monday my blood pressure was high too. I have to go back tomorrow to have it tested again. I’ve had swelling in my legs and feet for a couple months now, but they we;re never concerened because my BP was always good. Im 90% effaced and 1cm dilated but Ive been like that for a couple weeks now. I know how you feel, getting really exhausted and ready to meet this little girl.
Heather commented on Dec 07 11 at 4:04 pmAt the end of my 34th week I was told I had preeclampsia, after a weekend at the hospital due to high BP (I also had very, very swollen feet). I was immediately put on bed rest, and had to collect my urine a few times. I was induced during my 37th week. I delievered a healthy baby girl! Although it wasn’t exactly what I had expected, or planned, it was the best thing to keep me and my baby safe! :)
Anneleen commented on Dec 08 11 at 3:59 amI was almost 37 weeks when I had to do the same thing. My midwife thought that my blood pressure was a bit higher than normal and I had a little bit of protein in my urine. In the hospital, all the tests turned out fine, but the doctor still said I had to collect my urine during 24 hours.
It wasn’t easy, since I was still working at the time. So I took the orange jug with me to work. The problem is that my desk is very far from the bathroom (further then all my colleague’s desks), so each time I had to go, I had to pass by all of them. I really didn’t feel like having to take this jug with me each time, running the risk of having to explain what I was doing… (Off course virtually all of my colleagues are men.) And naturally it wasn’t like I could hold it up anymore at that point.
Luckily the bathroom is really close to our administrative assistant’s office. So she gladly agreed to let me keep the jug there, safely hidden, so I could just pop in quickly before I went to do my collection thing.
Everything turned out fine, by the way. I did not have preeclampsia and the baby came on her own time, 7 days after my due date.
Dolores commented on Dec 09 11 at 4:04 pmI am forty-one, and pregnant with our first child. I freaked out because I had to do this–early on in my pregnancy–it just came out of nowhere, and it really scared the hell out of me!!! I stressed, and cried, and did not even want to get out of bed–I was so terrified that something was wrong. Thankfully, the test results came back fine; and since then I have undergone my 1-hr and 3-hr glucose screenings, and those tests have come back fine as well. I honestly wonder if there’s any connection to all the morning sickness I was having for the first two trimesters–my blood pressure was higher than normal all throughout that time. Now that the morning sickness has mostly blown over, my blood pressure also has returned to normal. Coincidence?
Elizabeth commented on Dec 20 11 at 12:57 pmUgh! I hated the 24 hour urine collection! My BP increased slightly over a few days at 35 weeks and even though it wasn’t high enough to be considered pre-e, my doctor sent me to the hospital for the 24 hour test. I didn’t realize it was a bog deal but an hour after my results from the test, I was climbing up on the table for a c-section! Don’t worry though! I was pregnant with twins and both babies were totally fine.
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