Maternal Adaption of the Renal System Flashcards
By full term, how many milliletres of urine can the mothers bladder hold?
1000ml
What makes the bladder more prone to infection during pregnancy?
Changes in the bladder mucosa which can lead to oedema
What happens to the uterers during pregnancy?
Elongation
Dilation
Becomes more tortuous (twists)
Lateral displacement
By how many cm do the kidneys increase in length by during pregnancy and why?
By 1cm due to the increased blood volume
Which hormone causes dilation of the renal calyces and renal pelvices?
Progesterone
By what percentage does the Glomerular Filtration Rate increase by during the first trimester and to what number of ml/min does it reach?
50%
180 ml/min
What effect does an increase in Glomerular Filtration Rate have on the amount of protein excreted in the urine?
It can increase the amount and commonly reach 260 mg/day
Why is pregnancy a period of significant water retention?
The filtered load of sodium increases and sodium reabsorption increases in the tubule so a net retention of 1g per day causes water retention
What effect do increasing oestrogen levels have on renin production?
It increases
What causes an increased retention of sodium in the renal tubule?
Increased levels of aldosterone
What causes glycosuira?
Caused by progesterone and human placental lactogen which causes:
Insulin resistance
Increased glomerular filtraion
Decreased reabsorption in the distal tubule
Why is the supply of oxygen more than the demand in a pregnant woman?
Carbon dioxide removal is more efficient and oxygen absorption is more efficient
What does excess oxygen cause?
Respiratory alkalosis
What is the pH range of arterial blood during pregnancy and in the non-pregnant body?
Pregnant: 7.40 - 7.45
Non-pregnant: 7.35 - 7.45
How do the kidneys try to compensate for a higher pH level of arterial blood?
Reabsorb hydrogen
Excrete bicarbonate
