OBJECTIVE

To determine how urine dipstick test, edema, and/or excessive weight gain (EWG, defined as ⩾500g/week) at antenatal visits predict significant proteinuria (defined as a protein-to-creatinine ratio [P/Cr, mg/mg] ⩾0.27) and preeclampsia.

METHODS

Data from 3279 antenatal visits between 30 and 36weeks of gestation were studied in 783 women with singleton pregnancies. In 24 preeclamptic pregnancies, data from 89 antenatal visits at and before diagnosis of preeclampsia were used. Spot P/Cr was determined in women with repeated positive dipstick test results in two successive antenatal visits or in those with a positive dipstick test result tested in the presence of hypertension.

RESULTS

Proteinuria on dipstick test, edema, and EWG appeared often in both women with and without preeclampsia; 66.7% vs. 27.7%, 83.3% vs. 44.1%, and 91.7% vs. 81.6%, respectively. However, repeated positive dipstick test results in two successive antenatal visits yielded sensitivity of 45.5%, specificity of 95.2%, and positive and negative predictive values of 30.0% and 97.4%, respectively, for detection of significant proteinuria and corresponding figures of 33.3%, 94.1%, 14.0%, and 98.0% for prediction of preeclampsia.

CONCLUSIONS

Repeated positive dipstick test results in two successive antenatal visits warrant a need for a confirmation test of significant proteinuria.