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Conference moira::parenting

Title:	Parenting
Notice:	Previous PARENTING version at MOIRA::PARENTING_V3
Moderator:	GEMEVN::FAIMANY

Created:	Thu Apr 09 1992
Last Modified:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:	1292
Total number of notes:	34837

830.0. "Inconclusive Urine Test - during pregnancy" by LETHE::TERNULLO () Mon Oct 03 1994 16:48

	Hi,

	I'm 20 weeks along with my second pregnancy.  My first pregnancy
	was great - no difficulties and Kristen is almost 18months old now.
	This pregnancy has been great too.  But I just got a call from the
	doctor about a Urine test and I'm curious if this has happened to
	anyone else.

	At 16 weeks pregnant they had my give a sterile urine sample,
	I give a urine sample at every appointment, but this one needed
	to be sterile.  At 20 weeks pregnant they said that the sample
	give at 16weeks wasn't a good test because it had sat in the frig.
	too long before testing and didn't show any results that could
	be considered good or bad. So they asked me to give another 
	sterile sample.  (that was last tuesday).  They just called today
	to say that this sample was just "junk" too, it showed all kinds
	of things and they had concluded that this probably meant the
	sample wasn't really sterile.  They asked me to go to the hospital
	to get another one done, but didn't seem in any real rush for
	me to do this.  (That is, I said I probably couldn't go till friday
	and she said fine.)

	Should I be worrying about this?  Now that I write this note, I 
	realize I should have asked the nurse a few questions: Like what 
	will be more sterile about my giving the sample at the hospital 
	as opposed to the doctor's office?  What is this testing for anyway?
	Should I be worried?

	I'll probably give them a call back this afternoon and maybe go
	get the test done tomorrow instead of waiting till friday (just for
	my own piece of mind) But I wondered if you noters might have some
	more info or comments first.

	Thanks!
	Karen T.

T.R	Title	User	Personal Name	Date	Lines
830.1		SSPADE::BNELSON		`Tue Oct 04 1994 16:27`	7
	Maybe they just want to do the test right after your giving them the sample, leaving no time for bacteria to grow. Don't know; just know from biology that some bacteria can grow very fast -- doubling in 20 minutes under optimal conditions. Beryl
830.2	My experience..	RANGER::OBERTI		`Tue Oct 04 1994 16:57`	6
	I had to go the hospital to get several sterile tests when I was pregnant with my 2nd child. In the dr's office the samples went into paper cups. At the hospital lab they gave me a plastic container which had to be taken out of packaging. That was sterile.
830.3	UTI's	STAR::LEWIS		`Tue Oct 04 1994 17:21`	14
	Re: .0 >> as opposed to the doctor's office? What is this testing for anyway? >> Should I be worried? I believe that the clean-catch (sterile) sample is used to test for Urinary Tract Infections. The paper cup samples are used for protein and sugar content in the urine. I believe they routinely check for UTI's as they may be asymptomatic, as mine was during my second pregnancy. ANd I think the UTI's can cause problems later on in a pregnancy. It's probably nothing to worry about. Even if there is a UTI present, they can treat you for it. Hope this helps - Sue
830.4	thanks	LEDZEP::TERNULLO		`Wed Oct 05 1994 12:41`	22
	Thanks to all who replied, I wrote my original note just after getting off the phone when I was worried and a little stressed. I called the office back and they said it was nothing to worry about and the sterile test was just to test for infections that if I even had them, they could be treated with antibiotics now. I did use a sterile plastic cup for these tests, like Sue mentioned it's usually just the paper cup at other appointments. But maybe they feel the hospital will be even more sterile. I guess it doesn't matter now, since I'm not worried any longer . and will get the test done friday at the hospital. But I am curious, say I test out fine now and then in a month I get a UTI or some other infection that is asymptomatic, how will they know? Will it matter? If it won't matter than why do we care now? If it will matter, then why aren't I tested each month for infections? Thanks again, Karen T.
830.5	I gave a sample at every visit	PCBUOA::GIUNTA		`Wed Oct 05 1994 13:16`	13
	I was tested every month for infections. I imagine that they test the urine sample you provide at each visit for infections, and if it works out that you do have one, they may make you do a sterile sample each time instead of the standard paper cup collection method. I know that I had a UTI while I was pregnant and I had no idea that I had it. They found it during one of the standard visits where I normally gave a urine sample. I remember them saying that most pregnant women who had a UTI wouldn'd know it because you're going to the bathroom so much anyhow that you don't notice anything different. As I recall, I just got treated with regular antibiotics. Cathy
830.6		CLOUD9::WEIER	Patty, DTN 381-0877	`Wed Oct 05 1994 13:56`	9
	I believe that the concern is that an untreated UTI can pass bacteria on to the baby, possibly while still in utero, but more assuredly during birth. They usually just do a 'stick test' for the sample in the paper cup. That does test for blood, so if you had a 'bad' infection, it would be noticed then, and I suppose then they'd want the sterile.