During my first pregnancy, I had the joy of having a midwife. She was my dream obstetrician: laid-back, knowledgeable, friendly, supportive and easy-to-relate-to. I have absolutely no complaints about how my prenatal appointments went, only praise for the way she taught me about childbirth and empowered me to have confidence in my body. She never required me to pee in a cup, give blood, or even have an IV site available during labor. I had a normal, low-risk, healthy pregnancy.
Understanding my laissez-faire experience with my first baby, accompanied by an excellent outcome, you might imagine my dismay when I was pregnant with my second child and made to give a urine sample before every prenatal appointment. I had a doctor who was said to be very “mother-centered,” but she still insisted on constant medical intervention and evaluation, from the 6 ultrasounds to the 5 non-stress tests and the dozens of urine samples she requested.
Though I liked my doctor very much as a person, I became very frustrated with her constantly hounding me to go through another test, schedule another ultrasound, pee in another cup, etc. My pregnancy history was impeccable, all of my stats normal, so why all of the needless testing? I know that doctors fear malpractice lawsuits the way ancient peoples feared leprosy, but is that enough reason to rack up tens of thousands of dollars in unnecessary medical bills? The money wasn’t the only issue for me, I had excellent insurance, it was more that today’s medical position of testing, retesting and over-testing in order to “cover their bases” and protect against litigation is inconsiderate, inconvenient and irresponsible as far as time and resources go.
What is the purpose of urine testing?
Primarily, routine urine samples are checked for abnormal levels of protein , sugar, ketones, or bacteria. Bacteria could indicate a kidney or bladder infection. The presence of ketones in urine could indicate that you are dehydrated or malnourished. Excess sugar, if noted after the 20th week of pregnancy, may indicate gestational diabetes. Finally, protein might alert your doctor to a Urinary Tract Infection or, if combined with high blood pressure later in pregnancy, preeclampsia.
I do not question the value of urine screening for pregnant women. I believe the test is a great tool to be used once or twice during pregnancy as a “check up,” and definitely when a woman is exhibiting other symptoms, such as fatigue, lethargy, weight loss, bleeding, high blood pressure, or even just not feeling “right.” What I find unbearable, is being subjected to the test each and every time you enter the clinic as a pregnant woman. If you feel fine, have no risk factors, and have experienced a previous healthy pregnancy, etc., there is simply no good medical reason to have this test done.
I understand that many say, “It’s medical technology that is available, so why not take advantage of it, if it can help detect problems?” I understand the trepidation and fear that accompany pregnancy, especially in a first-time mother. However, a woman needs to pay attention to her body. If she is not feeling well, or is experiencing any of the above symptoms, she must notify her doctor and seek medical treatment. Most often the woman’s observance of her own body is what indicates a problem, not a routine urinalysis. I think that frequent urine testing is a waste of money (for you or your insurance company), and time (yours, your doctor’s and the lab’s). As a woman in charge of your own health care you have the right to take advantage of every available medical technology, but you also have the right to refuse unnecessary testing. …………………………….
