Low blood protein during pregnancy - what it means and how to solve the problem

2023 Author: Alfred Shackley | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-05-21 13:14

For the full operation of all systems of the human body, you need to monitor the level of protein in the blood, which performs many important functions: it is responsible for immunity, blood coagulation, and participates in the construction of cells.

It is especially important to maintain a normal protein level during pregnancy, since it is this substance that ensures the development of the fetus, the ability of the mother's body to resist various viral diseases.

However, pregnant women often have deviations from the norm up or down, which requires urgent adjustments with diet or medication.

Total protein in the blood: the norm during pregnancy

The protein level is determined by biochemical analysis of blood taken from a vein. The study is carried out in the morning, before breakfast.

Even small nuances affect the result, so it is necessary to carefully follow all preparation recommendations:

1. You should not eat a lot the day before. It is necessary that there is a large interval between blood sampling and food intake - from eight hours. Therefore, if you have a habit of having dinner late at night, it is better to refrain from eating before taking the test.
2. Do not drink sweet tea prior to the study. Before the procedure, you can use only purified, always non-carbonated water.
3. You need to come to the clinic for blood sampling on an empty stomach.

The norm for a woman during pregnancy is an order of magnitude lower than that of an ordinary person. Her total protein should be in the range from 55 to 65 g / l, while in a girl who is not going to become a mother yet, protein can reach 85 g / l. This difference is due to changes in the maternal body.

Low blood protein during pregnancy: causes

Total protein may be lower than the rates dictated by the norm during pregnancy. If the difference is insignificant, then most likely this is due to research errors. During the procedure for taking material for analysis, it is important not only the preparedness of the pregnant woman, but also how tight the tourniquet is, in what position the patient is.

Too low protein during pregnancy can cause the following reasons:

• The presence of liver diseases (cirrhosis, hepatitis, tumors).
• Digestive system problems (pancreatitis, intestinal inflammation).
• Severe forms of poisoning.
• Disorders of the kidneys.
• Excess or lack of water in the body.
• Oncology.
• Hereditary diseases.
• Autoimmune diseases.
• Prolonged fasting or unbalanced nutrition.

The presence of any diseases leads to the fact that the protein is not absorbed by the woman's body. If its level is low, it is necessary to urgently be examined to determine the reasons for this. Based on them, a course of treatment is prescribed, aimed at eliminating the problem. Timely detection and correction of protein deficiency will help to carry the baby healthy.

The total protein in the blood is not always lowered during pregnancy due to some health problem. Sometimes this is due only to improper nutrition, the lack of protein foods in the diet.

How to raise blood protein during pregnancy

A woman preparing to become a mother should especially carefully monitor her health, because a lot depends on this: the normal course of pregnancy, the full development of the fetus, the timely birth of a child. That is why, in the presence of the slightest deviations identified by research, it is impossible to postpone taking the measures necessary for treatment.

The first thing to do is to go with the test results to your doctor who is observing the pregnancy. You should not try to figure out the problem yourself by asking questions on various forums and following the advice of unknown people. Such an approach can only exacerbate the situation, which initially might not have been dangerous at all. A consultation with your doctor will help you find the right solution. His recommendations must be followed rigorously.

There are two ways to raise your total protein level during pregnancy:

1. Medication. Prescribing drugs is carried out only after the reasons for the changes that have occurred have been determined. The doctor recommends drugs based on the diagnosis and condition of the pregnant woman. They can be aimed at curing diseases that caused a lack of protein, or helping the body to assimilate the latter.
2. Compliance with a diet. One of the most common problems for women during pregnancy is the lack of a balanced diet. The reasons for this may be due to poor appetite, severe toxicosis, when certain foods provoke bouts of nausea in a pregnant woman, or simply eating habits that a girl has developed even before pregnancy.

Often, a lack of protein is observed in vegetarians who do not follow the sufficient intake of protein foods. In all these cases, the only sure way to correct the problem is to follow a special diet.

Low Protein Eating

There is a special list of foods to eat when protein depletion. It looks like this.

The most protein-rich foods:

• cheese;
• fermented milk products;
• a fish;
• seafood;
• nuts;
• meat.

Medium protein foods:

• fat meat;
• sausage;
• eggs;
• milk.

Also, the list of recommended products for consumption contains various vegetables, fruits, berries, almost free of protein, but necessary to saturate the body with useful microelements, without which protein may simply not be assimilated.

There is a caveat regarding fatty foods, raw smoked products: they should not be completely abandoned, but such food should be consumed in limited quantities. For women during pregnancy, the recommended daily protein intake is twice as much as usual. It is also important to remember about the variety of the menu: you cannot constantly eat the same set of products.

Preventive measures

Preventing changes in blood protein levels is also related to nutrition. There are several simple rules that must be followed constantly, and not only during pregnancy.

1. Regular meals without missing meals (there should be at least four per day).
2. Inclusion in the diet of foods of animal origin: fish, eggs, meat.
3. The use of fermented milk products, legumes, nuts.
4. Drinking water regularly (at least a liter every day).
5. Consumption of a sufficient amount of vegetables, fruits.
6. Quitting smoking, alcohol.

You should also constantly monitor your health to prevent the development of diseases leading to changes in protein levels during pregnancy.

Low blood protein during pregnancy is a common problem for many women. It can signal the presence and development of serious diseases that require immediate treatment, or be the result of an improper lifestyle or diet.

The expectant mother needs to constantly monitor that all the substances important for her and the child's health are present in her body, carefully follow all the requirements and recommendations of the doctor, including additional research.

It is on the consciousness and responsibility of a woman during pregnancy that the health of her baby depends.