The value of routine urine dipstick screening for protein at each prenatal visit

OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to determine whether dipstick urinalysis for protein, when performed as a routine screening test at each prenatal visit, predicts subsequent gestational outcome. STUDY DESIGN: All 3217 low-risk obstetric patients had dipstick urinalysis for protein at each prenatal visit. When there were any objective findings of a possible hypertensive disorder, the urine protein test for that visit was considered an indicated diagnostic test. Otherwise it was considered a routine screening test. Subjects were grouped according to whether those urine tests considered routine screening tests were positive for protein. The groups were then compared with regard to relevant pregnancy outcomes. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in the measured pregnancy outcomes between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: In low-risk women with no objective signs of a possible hypertensive disorder, routine dipstick proteinuria screening at each prenatal visit did not provide any clinically important information regarding pregnancy outcome.