The cause of a lowered protein in the blood during pregnancy is most often the woman’s malnutrition, but this can also indicate serious diseases. However, during pregnancy, a seemingly harmless “malnutrition” will lead to certain intrauterine pathologies in the development of the baby and cause complications during pregnancy and childbirth.
Total blood protein
Proteins are essential substances for life. This is the main building material of all cells. They make up about 20% of the tissue mass. Proteins are the main component of all known enzymes. Most hormones are naturally proteins or polypeptides. Some of the proteins are involved in the manifestations of allergies and immunity in general. Others are involved in the transport of oxygen, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, hormones, and drugs in the blood.
Total blood protein is the concentration of all serum proteins.
Physiological hypoproteinemia - a low total protein in the blood, not associated with diseases, is observed in young children, pregnant women, especially in the third trimester, when breastfeeding.
Indications for testing
The total blood protein is determined in each woman several times during pregnancy. Do this as part of a biochemical blood test. This study of blood composition is carried out:
- when registering a pregnant woman;
- in the second trimester at the 24-28th week;
- in the third trimester at the 32-36th week.
At the listed times, they take blood tests of a woman without any deviations in condition. The doctor will prescribe blood tests more often if the pregnant woman has health problems:
- tumors;
- liver and kidney disease;
- acute and chronic infections;
- systemic diseases.
Data on the dynamics of the total protein in the blood helps to assess the condition of the pregnant woman, to monitor the effectiveness of treatment.
Procedure
Blood for analysis is taken strictly on an empty stomach. It is better if at least 8 hours elapse between a meal and an analysis. Coffee, tea, juice - also food, you can only drink water.
Before the procedure, you can not physically strain (climbing stairs, gymnastics), it is undesirable emotional arousal. Before the procedure, take blood should rest 10 minutes, calm down.
You can not donate blood after massage, physiotherapy.
To take blood, a tourniquet is usually applied just above the elbow; in some laboratories they do not. Blood is usually taken from a vein in the ulnar fossa.
Blood for determination of total protein is taken in tubes with red caps. Such tubes are needed to obtain serum. Determine the total protein, like other biochemical parameters, in biochemical analyzers. Typically, a reagent kit is used to use the biuret method.
Errors in taking the test can lead to a falsely elevated total protein level. For example, prolonged application of a tourniquet, physical activity, a sharp rise from a prone position.
Decryption
To express the total protein content in the blood, a mass concentration is used showing the mass in 1 liter of blood (g / l). The normal amount of protein is 60-80 g / l (6-8%). In pregnant women, the indicator is slightly lower - 55-65 g / l. The protein in the blood of a pregnant woman in the third trimester is especially noticeably reduced. The following standards have been adopted:
- first trimester - 62-76 g / l;
- second trimester - 57-69 g / l;
- third trimester - 56-67 g / l.
Decryption of the blood test should be done only by a qualified doctor. Even if a low protein content is detected, and the expectant mother feels well, she should still consult a doctor, no need to wait until the signs of the disease appear. Such a missed pathology will have time to harm a growing baby.
Causes of Low Blood Protein During Pregnancy
In a healthy person, the protein content in serum can fluctuate under the influence of various factors.
During pregnancy in the blood, total protein is always lowered. This is due to an increase in blood volume, but the same amount of protein remains in the blood, thus a relative decrease in concentration is obtained.
A low protein in the blood during pregnancy can cause:
- insufficient intake;
- increased loss;
- violation of protein synthesis in the body.
A combination of these reasons is also possible.
Low blood protein in pregnant women is most often registered with insufficient intake of food, following a vegetarian diet or fasting. The deficiency can be caused by a violation of the absorption of amino acids in the intestinal mucosa, for example, with inflammation or a tumor in it.
Large losses of protein occur in diseases of the kidneys (especially accompanied by nephrotic syndrome), blood loss, and neoplasms.
Protein synthesis can be limited by the lack or absence of essential amino acids - building blocks that are not synthesized in the body, but come from animal food - meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy products. Impaired synthesis is possible with liver failure - cirrhosis, hepatitis, dystrophy.
The list of conditions accompanied by low protein in the blood during pregnancy indicates the non-specificity of this indicator. Therefore, the total protein content is taken into account not for differential diagnosis of diseases, but to assess the severity of the patient's condition and the choice of treatment.
Low protein
Protein in the blood below normal during pregnancy is not a specific indicator. Therefore, in the biochemical analysis of blood include the determination of fractions - albumin and globulin.
A decrease in albumin levels indicates malnutrition, malabsorption syndrome, acute or chronic liver failure, leukemia, tumors.
A decrease in the content of the globulin fraction is noted with malnutrition, congenital absence of gamma globulins, and lymphocytic leukemia.
Informative is the determination of plasma fibrinogen. Its decrease occurs in cases of pregnancy with placental abruption, amniotic fluid embolism, and can speak of meningococcal meningitis, leukemia, acute or chronic liver failure.
The biological role of proteins during pregnancy
During pregnancy, proteins provide:
- The growth and development of the baby, as well as the placenta and mammary glands, since proteins are the main building material.
- The transport of many nutrients, micro and macro elements, vitamins, since it is proteins that carry these substances in the blood.
- The innate immunity of the child, because antibodies are proteins.
- The balance of the coagulation and anticoagulation systems, since the substances that provide blood coagulation (which will be extremely important to prevent bleeding during childbirth) are proteins.
- Normal osmotic blood plasma pressure, because proteins attract water. When there are enough of them in the blood, the fluid is attracted to the vascular bed and does not accumulate in the tissues, which prevents blood clotting and the appearance of edema.
Possible consequences of protein deficiency during pregnancy
Reduced protein in the blood during pregnancy is often due to malnutrition. According to studies, if a woman does not get enough protein with food, then due to an improper diet, she also does not get enough calcium, magnesium, iron, vitamins, albumin.
Lack of protein in the diet is one of the causes of perinatal morbidity and mortality of the fetus. One of the most common perinatal syndromes is intrauterine growth retardation, which complicates the course of many diseases.
The lack of vitamins seriously harms the health of the child, reduces resistance to infections, leads to prematurity, congenital malformations, the birth of weakened children.
In women with low blood protein during pregnancy, lactation periods are reduced to 3.5 months. The child has to be transferred to artificial nutrition.
According to studies, all women with low total protein in the blood during pregnancy had various complications of its course:
- iron deficiency anemia (76%);
- chronic fetoplacental insufficiency (63%);
- late gestosis (33%);
- threatened abortion (27%);
- fetal growth retardation syndrome (16%).
Pregnant women with a lack of protein in the diet also have complications during childbirth:
- ruptures of the birth canal;
- early discharge of amniotic fluid;
- weakness of labor.
The average weight of children born to mothers with low blood protein during pregnancy is approximately 2,900 g.
Normalizing nutrition and restoring blood protein levels through nutritional correction significantly reduces the risk of pregnancy complications (anemia, fetoplacental insufficiency, late gestosis, developmental delay syndrome), as well as newborn asphyxiation.
Recommendations for normalizing indicators
First of all, women with low protein in the blood during pregnancy should normalize their nutrition - bring the ratio of BJU into line, pay special attention to the amount of protein food, vegetable fats, and plant foods. It is necessary to create a balanced diet, only it can fully satisfy the needs of the expectant mother.
Nutrition in the first half of pregnancy
During this period, the future mother's body needs as many nutrients as before conception. In the first trimester, all the baby's organs are laid, so at this time it is extremely important to ensure the intake of high-grade proteins, as well as vitamins, macro- and microelements in the correct ratio and quantity.
Depending on weight, physical activity, nutritional status, a pregnant woman should receive protein 60-90 g / day., Fat 50-70 g / day. and carbohydrates 325-450 g / day. Calorie intake - 2200-2700.
The diet should be complete and varied. Physiologically justified five meals a day. At nine in the evening - the last meal - a glass of kefir. For dinner, no more than 20% of calories should be accounted for, and it is better to eat fatty and protein foods in the morning. Pregnant women should not rest lying down after eating.
Nutrition in the second half of pregnancy
In the second half of pregnancy, the future mother's nutritional needs increase due to the increase in the size of the baby, the beginning of the functioning of its organs - the kidneys, liver, intestines and nervous system. A woman needs 80-110 g of protein, 50-70 g of fat and 325-450 g of carbohydrates per day. That is, the need for protein is increasing, the amount of necessary fats and carbohydrates does not increase. Moreover, the protein should be at least 60% of animal origin. 30% of the protein should be in the proteins of meat or fish, 25% - of milk and dairy products, 5% - eggs. Calorie intake should increase to 2300-2800 kcal.
Diet to increase protein in the blood during pregnancy
Daily expectant mother should receive:
- meat and fish - 120-150 g;
- milk or kefir - 200 g;
- cottage cheese - 50 g;
- egg - 1 pc.;
- bread - 200 g;
- cereals and pasta - 50-60 g;
- potatoes and other vegetables - 500 g;
- fruits and berries - 200-500 g.
It is necessary to consume foods containing high-grade proteins: milk, yogurt, kefir, mild cheese, low-fat cottage cheese. These products contain not only complete proteins containing all the amino acids necessary for humans, but also calcium.
If the total protein in the blood of pregnant women is lowered, nutritionists recommend increasing in the diet:
- meat and fish up to 180-220 g;
- cottage cheese up to 150 g;
- milk and kefir up to 500 g.
It is better to boil fish and meat, especially in the second half of pregnancy. It is necessary to abandon mushroom, meat and fish broths, gravy, because they contain a lot of extractive substances. It is better to cook vegetable or milk soups.
It is possible to increase the protein content in the diet with a low protein in the blood during pregnancy through the use of nutritional mixtures that contain not only complete proteins, but also vitamins, unsaturated fatty acids, macro- and microelements.