Pregnancy Increases Chances Of Developing Kidney Stones
Pregnant women have an increased chance of , according to a new study. While normal are expected by most, many do not anticipate the formation of kidney stones while . Further still, they do not know that one of the happiest times in their lives put them at risk for those kidney stones dislodging.
According to a study conducted by the Mayo Clinic, women have a higher risk of developing kidney stones when they are pregnant. This occurs as women's bodies change during pregnancy, especially as the baby increases in size.
When this happens, according to , the bladder's size decreases causing women to make more trips to the restroom than they did during the early stages of pregnancy. As such, there is a decreased intake of water which leads to the formation of .
The study, published in the , looked to determine when it was most likely that kidney stones would form or become dislodged during pregnancy and how long the risk of kidney stones lasted after pregnancy.
Researchers looked at the records of over 2,800 women that stretched over a 28-year period to determine when pregnant women were most at risk. The determination was that the risk was highest closest to delivery and for one year after giving birth, according to .
According to lead researcher, Dr. Andrew Rule, there was no surprise that there was an increased risk of kidney stones later in pregnancy. What researchers did not expect, according to , was the higher risk for developing kidney stones the year after giving birth.
During pregnancy, women who develop kidney stones will have symptoms that include nausea, vomiting, pain in the lower back or abdominal region, or blood in the urine, according to .
Per the publication, because x-rays are not recommended for pregnant women unless absolutely necessary, being able to locate the kidney stone through traditional methods can prove to be problematic.
Even if the kidney stone can be located, there are not as many options available to pregnant women with kidney stones as there are to those who are not pregnant.
According to , most doctors will recommend bed rest with lots of fluids to help pass the stone.
If that does not help, however, a stent may be recommended. If a stent is placed, it will remain in place for the remainder of the pregnancy, according to the publication.
Because of the increased risk of kidney stones during pregnancy, prevention really is the best medicine when it comes to mitigating the risk as much as possible. Therefore, and eating a diet that helps to keep kidney stones at bay is key.
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