White Blood Cell Count in urine during pregnancy

[AR23]

hi,

I had my blood test and urine test done at week 7 of pregnancy (a week before my booking appointment with the midwife). The results showed slightly high white blood cell count in my urine but the midwife said that can be common during pregnancy. At this 8 week appointment she collected my urine again and tested it and said everything was fine.

My test results (from week 7) however were also sent to my GP and I received a letter asking to repeat my urine test in 1 month's time. I am now 12 weeks pregnant, I repeated the test, got the results today and "something has flagged up as borderline" so I've been asked to repeat again in 2-3 weeks time. The receptionist didn't know exactly what has been flagged up, but I assume it's probably the white blood cell count again. All the receptionist said was that if it was an infection then antibiotics would have been prescribed so it's probably not that.

I just had my 12 week scan 2 days ago, and baby was fine. So I'm just a bit worried about why this urine stuff keeps getting flagged up. Has this happened to anyone else? Anything to worry about it?

My urine often shows up to have diff bits in it. Protein, white blood cells and/or blood. Each time the doc has asked if I have had any symptoms to suggest a UTI. When I reply no they believe it to be fine and don’t prescribe antibiotics but send it away for further testing. Each time it has been clear. So hopefully if you don’t seem to have any symptoms all is well. And no harm in them checking again.

I had this through all my pregnancies. A couple of times I ended up on antibiotics as it came back that I had a UTI but usually nothing. Nothing to worry about as PP has said.

I was at the GP this week and I had white blood cells in my urine - I don't particularly have any symptoms of an UTI but was prescribed antibiotics (previous urine samples have shown no white blood cells though). I would request a callback from the GP and get them to explain what they are thinking and why they keep requesting samples. The receptionist probably won't have enough information so you will need to speak to a GP.

Thanks everyone, I don't have any signs of an infection, it doesn't burn or anything when I pee. I've had a urine infection many years ago (before being pregnant) so I remember what the symptoms are, but I don't have any.

It's just strange that I have to keep repeating the test.

Yes, I have asked to speak to the GP and for them to give me a call me back. My GP are just such a hassle to get through to, even getting a telephone appointment is a nightmare.

Maybe the midwife would be more helpful, but it's a shame because my next midwife appointment is 4 weeks away and they don't do any telephone appointments to answer questions. Ahhh just got to wait patiently for the GP to call me back I guess.

I had a couple of urine tests that were borderline for uti. Midwife said to me that if I had signs such as burning when peeing I needed to call but if not I could flush it out myself with plenty of water. I was also told my urine sample should be no more than an hour old which I hadn’t realised so wonder if that had resulted in a slightly off reading.

I had that during pregnancy and was told it was a urine infection but I did get on/off tummy cramps (not burning while weeing problems though). Any tummy cramps?

Weirdly uti symptoms in pregnancy are nothing like the ones you get when not pregnant
I’ve had 3 lots of anti biotics already and I’m only 20 weeks. Still don’t feel it’s gone now either but the symptoms are barely noticeable, more a slight niggle than the burning blood pissing agony of uti’s I’ve had in the past

I’ve had this a lot recently and the midwife said that I wasn’t doing the collection properly. It’s very common and she wishes people were guided with how to collect a sample.

Basically start to wee, then stop and place the sample vessel where it needs to go and continue your wee until you’ve collected enough. Lid back on and finish off your wee if it is a long one.

Apparently collecting mid-stream is the cleanest part of the wee.

Hope that helps. It’s certainly stopped me going back to give repeat samples!

Thank you for the tips everyone. My samples have all been handed in straight away after collecting. And nope, no tummy aches either. I’ll collect midstream for the next test that I need to repeat in 2-3 weeks, I haven’t been doing that.

I am drinking plenty of water, so hopefully whatever it is gets flushed out: it’s such a shame when they don’t give much information, leaves you in anxiety.

So I just heard back from the community midwife at the hospital who was able to see my urine test results on their system. She said the thing that had been flagged as “borderline” was my epithelial cells...which are some sort of skin cells in your bladder. Said it was normal for this to higher during pregnancy. She confirmed there was definitely no infection /growth in urine culture so at least no worries there.

If anyone has more info on ethelial cells being higher during pregnancy, pls feel free to share :-) Not going to do anymore googling

That’s reassuring for you. Dr. Google had this to say: www.google.co.uk/amp/s/parenting.firstcry.com/articles/epithelial-cells-in-urine-during-pregnancy/%3famp