During the third trimester of pregnancy, women deal with , heartburn, and frequent swelling, among ailments, as their body gets ready to deliver a baby. One issue that pregnant women may face that is not often discussed, is an as the pregnancy gets closer to the date of delivery.

Eating right, getting exercise, and getting enough rest and sleep are things that women worry about during pregnancy to keep themselves as healthy as possible. Despite being vigilant about their health throughout this time, some women will still . And not only are kidney stones painful when , but they can also cause a threat to the pregnancy and delivery of women if left unmonitored and untreated.

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Here are the causes and ways to prevent kidney stones during pregnancy.

Kidney stones, according to the , are "hard deposits made of minerals and salts that form inside your kidneys." These hard deposits can be obstructive or non-obstructive in nature and can range in size from a few millimeters to several inches in diameter.

Most remain in the kidneys without causing any problems. The ones that migrate from the kidneys into the urinary tract are the ones that cause varying levels of pain depending upon the size of the stone.

For those suffering from kidney stones, according to , they may experience symptoms that range from:

• Back and abdomen pain
• Blood in the urine
• Cloudy urine
• Nausea and/or vomiting
• Pain when urinating

If experiencing any of these symptoms, it is imperative to speak with a healthcare professional to determine the best course of treatment.

There are several types of kidney stones, but there is one that is most common to pregnant women versus the general public.

According to , calcium phosphate stones are the most common during pregnancy. They occur due to the women's physiology changing throughout pregnancy.

The most common type of kidney stones, calcium oxalate stones are generally caused by diet, according to . For those who eat foods high in oxalate and have low levels of citrate, which helps to break down the oxalate, doctors will recommend eliminating those foods from the diet to help decrease the risk of kidney stones.

Struvite stones are mainly caused by bacterial infection, according to . They are also more common in women rather than men.

Very common in men, uric acid stones are an inherited condition, according to the .

Those who are predisposed to having uric acid stones should limit the amount of animal protein consumed, as these proteins can cause uric acid to build up in the system and make stones.

The least common of all the kidney stones, according to the , the cystine stones are also the largest. They are caused by too much cystine, an amino acid, leaking into the urine. When this happens, stones are formed.

Kidney stones occur during pregnancy most often during the third trimester. This is a result of the growing baby pressing against the bladder, according to , which makes the woman feel like she consistently needs to urinate. In turn, to stop having to use the facilities, the consumption of water drops. And when water drinking lessens during pregnancy, kidney stones can begin to form.

Women who have had multiple pregnancies are also at a higher risk of forming kidney stones versus those who are pregnant for the first time, according to . As such, the more pregnancies a woman experiences, the higher the likelihood there is that she will develop a kidney stone.

Fortunately, pregnant women do not appear to be at a greater risk of developing kidney stones than those of peers who are not pregnant. As such, 1 in 1,500 women can expect to develop kidney stones during pregnancy, according to KidneyStoners.org. And the risk that pregnant women have of developing kidney stones decreases after one year postpartum.

The most common approach to the treatment of kidney stones during pregnancy is to monitor the expecting woman. This is because most kidney treatments can lead to preterm labor, according to . Therefore, bedrest is generally ordered for pregnant women with a kidney stone.

If the stone does not pass on its own, the next step will be stenting. However, according to the publication, if the stent is put in, it will not be taken out until after the baby has been delivered.

For those who need to have the stone removed, the treatment that has been found to have the least amount of risk to the baby is ureteroscopic stone removal.

During this procedure, according to , the woman will be put under general anesthesia. A device with a basket will be used to retrieve the stone. However, if it is too big, the stone will need to be broken up before retrieval can occur.

It is likely that a stent will be inserted after the surgery, according to the publication, and will need to be worn throughout the duration of the pregnancy.

To prevent kidney stones during pregnancy, some steps can be taken. According to , the best way to ensure kidney stones do not form include:

• Drinking plenty of water
• Eat citrus fruits and drink citrus juices to help stop the formation of stones before they begin.
• Use the bathroom when necessary. Holding urine can begin the formation of stones.
• Exercise regularly.
• Avoid caffeine consumption, as caffeine can help stones to form.

Kidney stones do not happen to a large population of pregnant women but for those that do get them, they are extremely painful. As such, to not have to go through the pain of kidney stones, prevention is key.

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