Leukocytes in the urine – at 38 weeks of pregnancy
In some cases, pregnant women notice a peculiarity in the 38th week of pregnancy: leukocytes in the urine . In this case, there are increased amounts of white blood cells, which combine to form white flakes, mainly in the morning urine. Therefore, doctors speak of a flaky urine. Normally, the changed urine indicates an inflammation within the body or a malfunction of the kidneys. Elevated white blood cell counts during pregnancy are nothing to worry about.
38th week of pregnancy: Leukocytes in the urine – the summary
During pregnancy, the women concerned notice a changed state of health in the 38th week of pregnancy: leukocytes in the urine. Here, white flakes appear within the urine, which primarily occur in the morning urine. The pregnant women recognize here white dots and a discoloration of the urine. In the last few months of pregnancy, a normal response is to have an increased number of white blood cells . There is a possibility that the leukocyte count will rise to over 15,000 within a milliliter of blood.
Why does the leukocyte value increase?
Various side effects of pregnancy only appear in the eighth to ninth month. The following change occurs primarily from the 38th week of pregnancy: Leukocytes in the urine. Here, the white blood cells are not a sign of inflammation. Instead, the physiological increase in white blood cells is a feature of advanced pregnancy. The leukocytosis leads to the excretion of the corresponding cells .
Already at the beginning of pregnancy, the mother’s organism produces more white blood cells. The aim is to ensure adequate immune defenses for the patient and the unborn child. Once the embryo produces additional leukocytes, some of the mother’s white blood cells are no longer needed. They get out of the affected woman’s body via the urine.
From the seventh month, the organism of the unborn baby is able to produce white blood cells on its own. Pregnant women therefore notice a significant increase in the leukocyte value mainly from this point in time. Within the 38th week of pregnancy, the number of different white blood cells reaches its peak. In some cases, a blood test shows values of over 15,000 leukocytes in one milliliter of blood.
What does the 38th week of pregnancy mean?
The 38th week of pregnancy is in the middle of the ninth month of pregnancy. As a rule, the offspring are born in the 40th week of pregnancy, so that the waiting period for the parents begins as early as the 38th week. In any case, the infant is ready to give birth at this point. The fully developed baby has all the vital functions.
The unborn child no longer needs the mother’s white blood cells because his blood already has normal leukocyte counts. To regulate the excess, the pregnant woman’s body excretes the white blood cells. Therefore, the flaky urine at the end of the pregnancy is no cause for concern. If there are still white flakes in the mother’s urine after the birth, there is still an overproduction of leukocytes within the organism. This takes place to strengthen the mother’s immune system after the stress and pain of childbirth. Thus, the leukocyte count increases to up to 20,000 white blood cells in one milliliter of blood in the puerperium.
What do white pieces in the urine mean?
In addition to the white flakes, some women experience solid particles in their urine by the 38th week of pregnancy. They are a dried agglomeration of white blood cells that occurs when there is an increased overproduction of leukocytes. The mother’s body makes more white blood cells than the pregnant woman and the unborn child need. The reasons are shown, for example, in the form:
- an inflammation in the body
- an autoimmune disease in the mother,
- a viral infection
- or a cancer disease.
In any case, there is a need to inform the treating gynecologist about the white particles in the urine. By conducting several examinations, the gynecologist diagnoses the present complication and treats it early. In this way, there is a chance to avoid serious consequences for the unborn baby.
What happens when the leukocytes are missing?
If the mother’s organism does not produce any additional leukocytes during pregnancy, the embryo has no immune defenses. In the worst case, pathogens that penetrate the body cause a serious inflammation that leads to an organic or mental impairment of the infant. There is also a risk of miscarriage.
Likewise, a low leukocyte count increases the influence of small amounts of alcohol on the unborn child. According to a 2012 study , a small amount of alcohol is enough to negatively affect a child’s psychological skills. Due to the lack of leukocytes, this influence is increased and leads to severe mental deficits in the offspring.
Further:
http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0049407
https://www.leukozyten-info.de/leukozytose
Medical note for our readers:
