A woman’s body experiences numerous changes during pregnancy, and it is important to keep an eye on these changes for the sake of the mother’s and the unborn child’s health. Measuring the amount of urine produced in a day, or diuresis, is a crucial way to monitor kidney function and overall fluid balance.
Doctors can determine whether the body is retaining too much or not enough fluid by using this straightforward procedure. It can provide crucial information about ailments like dehydration or preeclampsia, both of which need to be carefully managed during pregnancy.
With a few simple tools, measuring daily diuresis at home is simple and straightforward. It’s a helpful habit that can help guarantee a healthy pregnancy by giving your healthcare provider important information.
| Step | Description |
| 1. Prepare a container | Use a clean, graduated container to collect urine over a 24-hour period. |
| 2. Start in the morning | Begin by discarding the first urine after waking up, then collect all urine throughout the day and night. |
| 3. Record the time | Note the time of each collection to ensure accurate measurement over 24 hours. |
| 4. Measure volume | At the end of the 24 hours, measure the total amount of urine collected. |
| 5. Consult a doctor | Share the results with your healthcare provider to assess your kidney function and overall health during pregnancy. |
Monitoring the volume of urine produced over a 24-hour period is crucial for measuring daily diuresis during pregnancy as it aids in the monitoring of kidney function and overall fluid balance. Urine can be collected in a clean container, and the total volume can be recorded. You and your unborn child can stay healthy throughout your pregnancy by monitoring your fluid intake and comparing it to your urine output.
- What is daily diuresis?
- Why should pregnant women measure diuresis and in what cases is it necessary?
- What exactly to measure, and how to correctly calculate?
- Here is an example of a table where the daily diuresis is calculated, normal during pregnancy
- What should be "good" results?
- Video on the topic
- Daily urine output
- Daily diuresis in pregnant women
- Daily diuresis in pregnant women
- Daily monitoring of general urine analysis at home
- Daily urine analysis
What is daily diuresis?
The amount of urine expelled in relation to the amount of fluid consumed over a specific amount of time is known as diuresis. By measuring its indicators, you can evaluate the kidneys’ capacity to concentrate and eliminate urine.
The study of the expectant mother’s daily diuresis, or the amount of urine she excretes in a day, is one of the most popular techniques for examination during pregnancy. After all, the kidneys of the expectant mother must process a greater volume of fluid as the baby grows, putting an increasing strain on them. Additionally, daily diuresis during pregnancy aids in evaluating the woman’s urinary system and identifying any problems early on. They ask to measure the volume of liquid consumed and urine excreted over the course of a day in order to do this.
Frequent urination is normal during pregnancy because a woman’s need for fluids increases during this time. 1.5 to 2 liters of urine should be produced each day on average. Deviations that are significant suggest renal issues. For instance, if the body excretes little urine, the tissues may retain water, leading to the appearance of edema.
Why should pregnant women measure diuresis and in what cases is it necessary?
Lunka: Ladies, do we need to continue with these calculations? At the prenatal clinic, they write to me to say that there is no edema and they advise against counting anything.
A daily diuresis study will help determine how much fluid a pregnant woman drinks, how well her kidneys function, how her body balances water, and how well her sweat glands function. The doctor will require this if they are unsure.
Urinary excretion problems typically start in the 22nd week of pregnancy, when the fetus is actively growing. This means that the uterus rapidly grows and presses against the urinary tract, which frequently makes it difficult to pass pee.
It is not necessary to calculate diuresis for each individual if the pregnancy is progressing normally and the expectant mother is in good health. This indicator does not need to be monitored.
If there are any variations from the typical course of pregnancy that need to be investigated, such as:
- with severe toxicosis with repeated vomiting (in this case, a lot of fluid is always lost);
- with the appearance of protein in the urine,
- edema;
- rapid weight gain;
- high blood pressure;
- constant feeling of thirst;
- frequent night urination;
- significant increase or decrease in the volume of urine excreted;
- diseases of the genitourinary system.
What exactly to measure, and how to correctly calculate?
Megan: All consumed soups, watery veggies (like tomatoes or cucumbers), fruits, and berries must be considered liquids. I consider the latter to be wholly unrealistic. So how can you find out how many grams a certain tomato contains, or how many berries I consumed when grazing at the dacha next to the raspberry bushes? Unless you take everything in hand.
Corn: Because of this, it is thought that there should be an additional 200–300 milliliters because it is impossible to account for everything that was consumed. There is an error margin of 200–300 ml.
Making a table with the time and amount consumed (along with the amount eaten!) and the excreted liquid in a separate column is necessary to accurately calculate the volume of urine expelled daily.
In this instance, it is imperative to consider not only beverages but also solid food, nearly all products, particularly fruits and vegetables. Keep an eye on the product packaging as it frequently indicates the percentage of liquid.
Urine counts are typically started at six in the morning. There are a few requirements that must be fulfilled for the results to be reliable:
- a few days before the analysis, remove salty, spicy foods from the diet, reduce sugar intake;
- Do not use any diuretics;
- drink as much as you are used to/want.
Concurrently, begin recording the amount of liquid you consume. In order to avoid forgetting anything, it is preferable to do this right away after each intake.
Jenny: As they told me in the hospital, you should urinate into a jar with a scale EVERY time, without spilling anything. Additionally, weigh or measure anything before you consume it.
Urine can be collected in any type of container as long as its volume can be precisely measured. You must record the amount of urine you expel after using the restroom. The entire table is arranged in this manner. The results obtained in both columns are added together after a 24-hour period.
The overall amount of fluid consumed and the amount of urine expelled can be compared to determine the body’s water balance, which can be normal (zero), positive, or negative.
Here is an example of a table where the daily diuresis is calculated, normal during pregnancy
| Products | Amount of water drunk in ml | Amount of urine in ml |
| Glass of water | 250 | 250 |
| Buckwheat porridge (300 g) | 224 | 210 |
| Tea (200 ml) | 200 | 200 |
| Cookies (5 pcs.) | 20 | |
| Rice porridge (300 g) | 198 | 150 |
| Meat (100 g) | 74 | |
| Cucumber (1 pc.) | 95 | 50 |
| Compote (250 ml) | 250 | 200 |
| Kefir (250 ml) | 90 | 90 |
| Berries (350 g) | 86 | 50 |
| Apple | 86 | 50 |
| Banana | 74 | |
| Water throughout the day | 1000 | 1000 |
| Total: | 2647 | 2020 |
What should be "good" results?
Ksyu: How much should be revealed is the question. The same amount you consumed, or is it still going to be used for perspiration and breathing?
Zhenni:
Ksyu: From where would more originate? It’s just not logical in some way. Sweat is the result of heat and other factors. Additionally, chemical reactions are taking place.
A ratio of 1:1 is thought to be the ideal standard, meaning that the volume of urine expelled and the volume of liquid consumed are equal. The body should entirely eliminate the amount of liquid that was consumed, accounting for the fruits and vegetables that were eaten. Normal circumstances, such as pregnancy, result in equal amounts of fluid being taken in and expelled out. This implies that the body does not retain "extra" water and that dehydration does not happen. An optimal balance of this kind signifies optimal bodily functioning throughout.
In other words, a pregnant woman’s daily diuresis rate ranges from 70 to 80% of the total volume. Sweating and breathing release the remaining water.
Let"s take a look at the structure of the water balance in the body:
| Fluid intake into the body | Fluid removal from the body | ||
| Source | Volume, ml | Source | Volume, ml |
| With liquid food | 1200 | Urine | 1400 |
| With solid food | 1000 | Sweat | 600 |
| Formed in the body | 300 | Exhaled air | 300 |
| Cal | 200 | ||
| Total | 2500 | 2500 | |
Pregnancy-related diuresis typically does not alter from the normal state. On the other hand, pregnant women often delay drinking. This is brought on by an excess of progesterone, a hormone that both maintains pregnancy and causes tissues to become saturated with water. Throughout the course of pregnancy, the body can naturally retain 1.5–2.7 liters of extra water; this is not regarded as abnormal.
As we’ve already mentioned, the ratio of drunk to released liquid is a crucial sign of how well the kidneys are functioning. It is important to let the doctor know if it is less than 65-70%! When the density decreases significantly more than it initially does, it may contribute to the formation of deposits.
- eating salted and spicy foods that delay water in the body;
- the heat in which sweating is enhanced, as well as the high body temperature;
- toxicosis, diarrhea, which causes dehydration of the body;
- increased physical activity;
- use of certain medications, especially diuretics.
It’s crucial to keep an eye on the mother’s and the unborn child’s daily diuresis during pregnancy. Urine production can be monitored to help detect possible problems with kidney function, fluid balance, or general health.
All you need is a container to collect the urine and a measuring tool to record the total volume; it’s an easy process that you can do at home. Your healthcare provider can use the results to gain important insights that will help address any concerns early on and ensure a healthy pregnancy.
Being mindful of your body’s cues throughout pregnancy, such as regular diuresis, can help you feel more at ease and have a more enjoyable pregnancy. It is crucial that you speak with your doctor if you observe anything out of the ordinary, such as significant changes in output or swelling.
