Pregnancy SmartSiteTM

Skip Navigation Schedule An Appointment

Normal Pregnancy

Staying Healthy

Alcohol and pregnancy Managing your weight gain in pregnancy Steps to take before you get pregnant When you need to gain more weight during pregnancy

What to expect during pregnancy

Aches and pains during pregnancy Choosing the right practitioner Common symptoms during pregnancy Hyperemesis Gravidarum Morning sickness Pregnancy and travel Pregnancy and work Problems sleeping during pregnancy Skin and hair changes during pregnancy Teenage pregnancy

Preparing to go home with your baby

Cribs and crib safety Eat right during pregnancy Preparing your other children

Visits and Tests

Amniocentesis Chorionic villus sampling Genetic counseling before pregnancy Glucose tolerance test-pregnancy Monitoring your baby before labor Nuchal translucency Prenatal care in your first trimester Prenatal care in your second trimester Prenatal care in your third trimester

Chloride - urine test

Definition

The urine chloride test measures the amount of chloride in the urine.

How the Test is Performed

After you provide a urine sample, it is tested in the lab. If needed, the health care provider may ask you to . Your provider will tell you how to do this. Follow instructions exactly so that the results are accurate.

How to Prepare for the Test

Your provider will ask you to temporarily stop taking any medicines that may affect the test result. Tell your provider about all the medicines you take, including:

  • Acetazolamide
  • Corticosteroids
  • Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
  • Water pills (diuretic medicines)

    • DO NOT stop taking any medicine before talking to your provider.

    How the Test will Feel

    The test involves only normal urination. There is no discomfort.

    Why the Test is Performed

    Your provider may order this test if you have signs of a condition that affects body fluids or acid-base balance.

    Normal Results

    The normal range is 110 to 250 mEq per day in a 24-hour collection. This range depends on the amount of salt and fluid you take in.

    The examples above are common measurements for results of these tests. Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories. Some labs use different measurements or test different samples. Talk to your provider about the meaning of your specific test result.

    What Abnormal Results Mean

    A higher than normal urine chloride level may be due to:

  • Low function of the
  • Inflammation of the kidney that results in salt loss (salt-losing nephropathy)
  • Potassium depletion (from the blood or body)
  • Production of an unusually large amount of urine (polyuria)
  • Too much salt in the diet

    • Decreased urine chloride level may be due to:

  • Body holding in too much salt (sodium retention)
  • Cushing syndrome
  • Decreased salt intake
  • Fluid loss that occurs with diarrhea, vomiting, sweating, and
  • Syndrome of inappropriate ADH secretion (SIADH)

    • Risks

    There are no risks with this test.

    References

    Kamel KS, Halperin ML. Interpretation of electrolyte and acid-base parameters in blood and urine. In: Yu ASL, Chertow GM, Luyckx VA, Marsden PA, Skorecki K, Taal MW, eds. Brenner and Rector's The Kidney. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 24.

    Oh MS, Briefel G, Pincus MR. Evaluation of renal function, water, electrolytes, and acid-base balance. In: McPherson RA, Pincus MR, eds. Henry's Clinical Diagnosis and Management by Laboratory Methods. 24th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 15.

    Villeneuve P-M, Bagshaw SM. Assessment of urine biochemistry. In: Ronco C, Bellomo R, Kellum JA, Ricci Z, eds. Critical Care Nephrology. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2019:chap 55.

    Schedule An Appointment

    Contact Atlanta Obsetrics and Gynaecology at The Womens Center Millennium Hospital - 404-ATL-BABY

    GO

    Review Date: 8/20/2023

    Reviewed By: Jacob Berman, MD, MPH, Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.