Publication:

Analysis of urine as an indicator of specific body conditions in pregnant women in rural mountainous region

Background Urinalysis is a procedure for examining physical properties, particulate matter, cells, casts, crystals, organisms and solutes. Urinalysis is a routine screening and diagnostic tool used to identify infections including renal, urological, liver disease, diabetes mellitus and urinary tract infection (UTI). Urinalysis can be used to screen, glucose, leucocytes, nitrite and blood. Although urinalysis is an effective screening tool it should not be used in isolation to guide treatment because false positives, for example, nitrites, and false negatives, for example, glucose, can occur if the sample is contaminated or left to stand for too long. UTI is among the leading reasons for treatment in adult primary care medicine, accounting for a considerable percentage of antibiotic prescriptions. Aim of this study is to identify the markers of urinary tract infection by urine routine microscopic analysis in pregnant women.

Methods This was a two months prospective study from June 1st 2019 to July 31st 2019. Urine samples of 72 pregnant women coming routinely to OPD of GMC, Doda were examined by physical and biochemical analysis by microscopy methods.

Results Majority of samples were pale yellow with turbid appearance. Protein was present in most of the samples whereas glucose was present in a minor number of samples. Microscopy revealed increase in pus and epithelial cells count in most of the samples while bacteria were present in almost half of the samples.

Conclusions To conclude from the present study that appearance, presence of protein, pus cells, epithelial cell and bacteria, all taken together can serve as a strong indicator of UTI.