How to Prevent Kidney Stones When You Are Pregnant
Kidney stones occur when small, firm collections of acid salts and minerals accumulate inside your kidneys as a result of urine that is too concentrated. Kidney stones during pregnancy can cause alarm because they are often accompanied by the passage of bloody urine, which you could easily mistake for vaginal bleeding, a sign that may occur with serious pregnancy complications such as miscarriage and placental problems. Even though kidney stones won't directly harm your unborn baby, they can cause potentially serious problems for you, including kidney damage or infection, as well as urinary tract infections, especially once the stones enter your urinary tract.
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Instructions
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Drink lots of water. Dr. Marjorie Greenfield, associate professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Case School of Medicine in Cleveland, Ohio, says you should aim to drink enough water to produce 2.5 to 3 liters of urine daily in order to minimize your chances of developing kidney stones.
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Drink milk and eat other dairy products that contain calcium daily. According to the National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse, a service of the National Institute of Health (NIH), high consumption of foods with calcium may reduce your chances of developing kidney stones, contrary to past beliefs that increased calcium intake contributed to kidney stone formation.
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Drink a glass of lemonade daily. Instead of using a powdered mix, use real lemons or juice concentrate to maximize your intake of citrate (a salt in citric acid). The Mayo Clinic says increased levels of citrate in your diet can lower your chances of developing kidney stones.
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Avoid drinking grapefruit juice. Doctors don't understand the exact relationship between grapefruit juice and kidney stones, but drinking this particular type of juice can increase your risk, Dr. Greenfield says.
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Limit your intake of foods rich in oxalates (a salt in oxalic acid), since they contribute to your risk of developing calcium oxalate kidney stones. These foods include nuts, rhubarb, concentrated tomato sauce, beets, okra, refried beans, spinach and sweet potatoes.
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Reduce your daily intake of foods high in protein, such as poultry, fish and meats. High-protein foods increase the levels of acid in your urine, which may make you more likely to experience kidney stones.
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Tips & Warnings
If you're unsure exactly how much urine you're producing each day, Dr. Greenfield suggests you use two-liter soda bottles to measure your daily urine production.
Consult with your obstetrician before altering your diet in order to ensure that you are not causing possible health risks for your unborn baby by limiting your intake of certain nutrients and minerals.
