Kidney
23 markers in this category
Albumin-to-Creatinine Ratio (ACR)
During pregnancy your kidneys work harder and albumin in the urine is followed closely, not least when blood pressure is raised. The ratio corrects for dilution, which makes successive results easier to compare.
Citrate
Urinary citrate plays a protective role against kidney stones and can be influenced by hormonal factors. Pregnancy and hormonal changes may affect urinary composition and stone risk, making monitoring valuable for women's comprehensive health assessment.
Creatinine
Your creatinine level shows how well your kidneys filter waste from the blood. In women the normal range sits structurally lower than in men. That is down to lower muscle mass, not weaker kidney function. The band also shifts with age and during pregnancy. This page explains what a normal creatinine level means for you, by life stage. You will also read when an unusual result deserves attention, and when it does not. Reference values differ between laboratories, so your own report always counts most. That way you can judge more quickly whether a number above the table truly means something.
Creatinine (Urine)
Urinary creatinine levels in women are influenced by body composition and hormonal factors. During pregnancy, increased kidney filtration can affect creatinine excretion, making it important to interpret results in the context of hormonal health.
Cystatin C
Cystatin C is a reliable kidney function marker for women across all life stages. Unlike creatinine, it is not influenced by hormonal fluctuations, body composition changes during pregnancy, or differences in muscle mass, providing consistent and accurate results.
Microalbumin (Urine)
Microalbumin testing is especially relevant for women during pregnancy, when increased kidney workload can reveal underlying vulnerabilities. Women with gestational diabetes or pre-eclampsia may benefit from regular monitoring to protect both maternal and foetal health.
Oxalate
Urinary oxalate monitoring supports women's kidney health. Hormonal changes during pregnancy and menopause can influence calcium and oxalate metabolism, and women with a history of kidney stones may benefit from regular screening during these periods.
Protein (Urine)
Proteinuria testing is particularly important for women during pregnancy, when pre-eclampsia can cause protein to appear in the urine. Regular monitoring supports early detection and helps protect both maternal and foetal health throughout pregnancy.
Urea (BUN)
BUN is a kidney function marker that can be influenced by hormonal changes throughout a woman's life. During pregnancy, BUN levels typically decrease due to increased blood volume and kidney filtration, while hormonal shifts during menopause may affect kidney function over time.
Urine Bilirubin
Bilirubin is a yellow pigment formed when red blood cells break down. It is normally not found in urine, so a positive dipstick result can point to the liver or bile ducts.
Urine Blood
This dipstick result detects blood in the urine that may not be visible to the eye. Blood can come from anywhere in the urinary tract and has many possible causes, from infection to kidney stones.
Urine Culture
Urine culture testing is especially relevant for women, as women are significantly more likely to develop UTIs due to anatomical factors. Regular screening is important during pregnancy, when UTIs can pose risks to both mother and baby if left untreated.
Urine Glucose
Glucose is normally reabsorbed by the kidneys and is not present in urine. When blood sugar is high, glucose can spill into the urine and show up on a dipstick test.
Urine Ketones
Ketones are produced when the body breaks down fat for energy instead of glucose. Small amounts can appear during fasting or a low-carbohydrate diet, while higher levels can have a medical cause.
Urine Leukocytes
Leukocytes are white blood cells, and they do not normally belong in your urine. The expected result is therefore negative. Yet in women a positive pad often turns out not to be a bladder infection. There are two ordinary explanations. Vaginal discharge easily reaches the container during collection. And some symptoms come not from the bladder but from inflammation of the urethra. The pad does not measure cells at all. It measures leukocyte esterase, an enzyme those cells release. That is why it stays positive once the cells themselves have broken down. What your result means depends heavily on how the sample was collected.
Urine Nitrite
Nitrite is not normally found in urine. Certain bacteria convert nitrate into nitrite, so a positive dipstick result can be a sign of a bacterial urinary tract infection.
Urine Screening
Urine screening is an essential component of women's health assessment. It can detect UTIs, which are more common in women, screen for gestational diabetes and pre-eclampsia during pregnancy, and provide insight into overall kidney and metabolic health.
Urine Sediment
Urine sediment analysis supports comprehensive urinary health evaluation for women. It can detect signs of UTIs, which are more prevalent in women, and help identify kidney changes during pregnancy or hormonal transitions that may require monitoring.
Urine Sediment Leukocytes
Sediment leukocytes are white blood cells counted under the microscope in spun-down urine. A few are normal; a higher number can point to inflammation or infection in the urinary tract.
Urine Specific Gravity
Specific gravity reflects how concentrated your urine is, which is closely tied to how well hydrated you are. It typically ranges from about 1.002 to 1.035.
Urine Squamous Epithelial Cells
Squamous epithelial cells line the lower urinary and genital tract. A few in the urine are normal; larger numbers usually mean the sample picked up cells from the skin around the urethra rather than signalling disease.
Urine pH
Urine pH describes how acidic or alkaline your urine is. It naturally varies through the day with diet, hydration and other factors, and usually falls between roughly 4.5 and 8.0.
eGFR (Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate)
The eGFR equations are not validated in pregnancy, yet kidney filtration rises 40 to 50 percent then. This page explains what your eGFR means across life stages. It also covers why protein in the urine sometimes says more.