Included with every panel
Baseline labs come free with any panel you build.
Other tests
Bun/Creatinine Ratio test
The ratio of two kidney waste products; can help tell whether a rise in kidney markers comes from dehydration versus kidney damage. Included with every panel.
At a glance
In about 5 days
Most results are ready in about 5 days. Some specialty markers can take up to 21 days.
Check before your draw
This marker has no preparation tag, but it can still need preparation. Contact us before your draw if you’re not sure.
Walk in at Quest
Your lab order arrives by email. Most Quest locations take walk-ins, so bring it with a photo ID.
What it measures
Compares two waste products your kidneys clear from your blood: urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine. The balance can help show whether a change comes from not drinking enough or from how your kidneys are working.
Why it matters for women
During pregnancy your kidneys filter more blood, so both of these waste products can naturally run lower. Severe vomiting, such as from the intense morning sickness some women get in pregnancy, can leave you low on fluids and push the ratio up. The ratio is most useful when one of the two results is out of range.
You might check it if…
- you’ve been vomiting or struggling to keep fluids down
- your BUN or creatinine result was out of range
- you often feel very thirsty, dizzy or dried out
- you follow a very high-protein diet
What your result may mean
High Bun/Creatinine Ratio: what it may mean
A high BUN/creatinine ratio may point to dehydration or reduced blood flow to the kidneys, or to bleeding in the digestive (GI) tract. Not drinking enough, vomiting or diarrhea can push it up, and so can a high-protein diet or steroid medicines. Severe vomiting in pregnancy can leave you low on fluids and raise the ratio. A small frame with little muscle can also lower creatinine and lift the ratio without any problem. Thirst, dizziness and dark urine can go with fluid loss, and black stools may go with bleeding.
Low Bun/Creatinine Ratio: what it may mean
A low BUN/creatinine ratio can reflect liver disease, low protein intake or overhydration. During pregnancy your kidneys can filter more blood, so both waste products can run lower and the balance can shift. Some kidney injuries can lower the ratio as well. This number can be most useful when BUN or creatinine is out of range, so a low ratio may mean little when both are normal. A clinician may look at your diet, fluids and other kidney tests to make sense of it.
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These notes provide context and do not diagnose a condition. Not yet available in NY, NJ, RI, HI, ND, SD or WV.