Q: Hello doc, pls how can one avoid protein in urine during pregnancy?

A: A high blood pressure reading in pregnancy with protein in urine is a worrying situation. Blood pressure readings are interpreted as same, pregnancy or no pregnancy. Any level more than 140/90mmHg is seen as hypertensive. A woman may already be hypertensive before pregnancy and on medication. She may be found to be hypertensive before 20th week of pregnancy in which case it is believed she had previously undetected high blood pressure or she may be discovered to have high blood pressure after the 20th week, in which case it is believed that this high blood pressure is pregnancy-induced (Pregnancy Induced Hypertension: PIH). This would usually resolve within 6 weeks of having a baby. If a woman with PIH goes on to develop protein in urine, she is at risk of preeclampsia (in which protein leaks from…