A prospective study of the impact of automated dipstick urinalysis on the diagnosis of preeclampsia.

Objective: To determine prospectively in hypertensive pregnant women 1) the accuracy of dipstick testing for proteinuria using automated urinalysis, 2) factors that might affect such accuracy, and 3) the potential impact of automated dipstick testing on the accuracy of diagnosis of preeclampsia according to acceptance of proteinuria at either 1 + or 2 + level.

Design: Prospective study.

Setting: Antenatal day assessment unit and antenatal ward of St George Hospital, a teaching hospital in Sydney, Australia.