White Blood cells in Urine

[NewbeeMummy]

Saw a new GP today for my 31 week check up, he mentioned that he needed to send my urine sample off for further analysis as it contained white bloods cells.

I'm feeling fine, BP is ok, so do I have anything to worry about?

Test results due in a week, but just thought I'd ask in the mean time as I'm a bit concerned as I don't know how worried I should be about this.

How funny - you're exactly a week behind me in dates and circumstances, so I hope this makes sense (and helps to keep you calm).....I've just spoken to the doctor today re my results (sent my urine off last Thursday) and she tells me that in my case there was some bacteria present, but it didn't grow into any specific bug in the lab. I said "odd" and she said "no, not during pregnancy"....aparently when pregnant, our kidneys are a bit "leaky", so sometimes we get a +1 in the dip, and as far as a urinary tract infection goes, they'll test again if the unrine dip is still positive in a couple of weeks (my 34 week appt).
As long as your blood pressure is OK and there's no swelling all is well re. pre eclampsia (she did say to go in IMMEDIATELY if anything swells), also if the levels go up in the next dip that would set the alarms ringing for more tests...

you might just have a little water or urine infection. Gp wil send of sample to see if there is to confirm. and if antibiotics are needed or not. Dont think u need to worry. it will clear up.

Thanks very much SassJ, I'll keep my fingers crossed, my feet have been a bit swollen, but no more than they have been for the last 3 months.

I just wish they'd tell you more, like it's not much to worry about or it could be something you'll need to be concerned about.

Instead he makes jokes about looking like a giraffe at a watering hole when trying to pick up a bit of paper from the floor.

My pleasure.
I know, they're all very relaxed about our pregnancies - funny, 'cause it's pretty much all I think about myself!! Love the giraffe thing though, he sounds nice .
Just remember that if you're not 100% happy with what anyone tells you (at any stage), ask them to explain fully/clarify. This morning I got a receptionist telling me that my dip results were "inconclusive, and to re-test if symtoms persist" - made absolutely no sense at all, so I told her exactly that (nicely), and then asked for a call-back from the Doc - that's where the full explanation (that I passed on to you) came from.
Re. your swollen feet - me too (just a bit) so mostly going barefoot, and I'm wearing my husbands wedding band because mine no longer fits comfortably. You'd know if you had major swelling - don't worry!

Am 25 weeks and have been feeling very under the weather for about 10 days now. Fainted, headaches, dizzy etc. Went to dr and they found lots of white blood cells in my urine, indicating an infection. So have been prescribed antibiotics for suspected urinary infection. However, they don't see to have worked as still feeling rubbish. Am going back to have it retested to see if cell numbers have gone down. Basically presence of white blood cells probably means there is a bit of infection, it could be viral or bacterial (ie just a general virus you are fighting off).

If you don't feel unwell it would seem your body is doing a good job fighting the virus off and docs will prescribe antibiotics if they think you need them. So don't worry it's probably just a virus which your body is fighting off nicely!

Thanks all, I really appreciate the advice, I'm feeling a lot calmer than I was this morning, does the feeling of panic when something other than the expected norm happens ever go away or does it just get worse when they arrive.

Maybe I should change my sign in name to giraffe or Turtle (my DP refers to me as a turtle on it's back when I decide to sit on the been bag in the living room and can't get up)

had this alot in my pregnancy with dd2 and always retested fine HTH

I went to my new GP a couple of weeks ago (at 36 weeks) and he said the same thing. The next day I saw the midwife and told her. She sighed and said, oh these doctors, white blood cell count is always higher in pregnancy. Sure enough, test came back fine.

i had this from my sample at 12 weeks.
they are happy tho wait till 20 weeks to re test.
probably was a infection

I had this in my first pregnancy. It turned out fine i didn't get any antibiotics or anything. Just one of those things in pregnancy i was told. HTH