Cloudy Urine in Pregnancy

Frequent urination is one of the earliest signs of pregnancy. Sometimes, you may even observe different colors and consistencies of urine that were not present before you became pregnant. A typical example of this is the occurrence of cloudy urine in pregnancy.

In this article, we’d talk about the features of normal urine, different colors of urine, causes of cloudy urine during pregnancy, and how to reduce the symptoms.

What Are The Features of Normal Urine?

Normal urine is a clear, sterile, and pale-yellow fluid. It has a characteristic chemical-like smell that may be slightly offensive. Sometimes, your urine can appear to be colorless, especially if you’ve just taken large amounts of water.

How Common Is Cloudy Urine During Pregnancy?

Cloudy urine is one of the many changes that come with pregnancy. In fact, it is even more common than you may think. While expecting your little one, there’d be changes to your hormones, medication, and diet. These changes, as well as other important factors, can make your urine look cloudy.

cloudy-urine-in-pregnancy

As a result, cloudy urine is a common occurrence in pregnancy

What Causes Cloudy Urine In pregnancy?

The common causes of cloudy urine in pregnancy are:

1. Hormonal changes.

This is the primary cause of cloudy urine during pregnancy.

While expecting, your body undergoes diverse hormonal changes to support your growing baby. For example, there is an increase in the level of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in the first trimester, which is passed out through urine. Sometimes, the increased presence of hCG can make your urine cloudy.

2. Dehydration.

Most times, pregnancy comes with nausea and vomiting. When this happens, the consistent fluid loss via vomitting can cause dehydration.

Dehydration during pregnancy will lead to dark and concentrated urine, that also appears cloudy.

3. Urinary tract infection (UTI)

Sadly, UTIs are common during pregnancy. When this happens, it can also result in cloudy urine.

During pregnancy, if you notice a marked increase in the frequency of urination, as well as a foul-smell, please consult your doctor immediately.

cloudy-urine-in-pregnancy-test

4. Excess Protein In Urine.

This condition is called proteinuria. Excess protein content in your urine can also make it look cloudy or foamy. This usually occurs in the second or third trimester.

If this excessive amount of protein in urine is accompanied by high blood pressure, it may be a sign of preeclampsia.

5. Dietary modifications.

No doubt, your diet and food cravings would change during pregnancy. You may even begin to crave meals you didn’t like before pregnancy. In some instances, these sudden and abrupt changes may cause your urine to appear cloudy.

This usually occurs if your new diet contains high amounts of phosphorous or Vitamin D. When this happens, you can just remove the foods you weren’t eating before pregnancy and watch out to see if that’s the actual cause.

6. Vaginal discharge.

Vaginal discharge is not strange during pregnancy. However, excess discharge can also cause cloudy urine.

cloudy-urine-in-pregnancy-vaginal-discharge

If you experience this symptom, please consult your doctor.

7. Diabetes Mellitus

Diabetes Mellitus causes an abnormal increase in blood sugar level. When this sugar moves into the urine, it can also cause it (your urine) to appear cloudy. In addition, diabetes mellitus may also cause urine to have a sweet or fruity smell.

Different Colors of Urine

As we mentioned earlier, normal urine should be clear, sterile, and pale-yellow. However, several factors can alter the color of your urine.

In this section, we’ve compiled some common urine colors and the possible causes:

  • Red or pink colored urine: This is usually due to the presence of blood in the urine and can be a symptom for a serious health condition. In other instances, red-colored urine may result from dietary modifications, like increased consumption of beets or blackberries.
  • Brown or dark orange urine. This is not a good sign at all. Brown or dark orange urine indicates that there is excessive secretion of bile, which could be a symptom of a serious liver problem.
  • Blue or green urine: Using certain drugs can make your urine appear bluish-green. However, if you are not on any medication and your urine looks this way, you should see a doctor.

How To Manage Cloudy Urine In Pregnancy

Treatment options for cloudy urine during pregnancy depend on the underlying cause. Some home therapies may help you alleviate some symptoms. In other cases, you may need to see your doctor.

how-to-manage-cloudy-urine-in-pregnancy.

Here are some simple home therapies to relieve cloudy urine in pregnancy:

1. Drink Water

Water is really important in pregnancy. In addition to keeping you refreshed always, water also flushes out toxins and makes your urine look less cloudy.

Furthermore, studies show that pregnant women need to drink about 10 cups of water daily to prevent dehydration.

2. Take Some Cranberry Juice

This juice contains a lot of phytonutrients which are helpful in relieving the symptoms of UTI, kidney stones, and other underlying conditions that may cause cloudy urine.

3. Don’t self-medicate

Self-medication may be the cause of cloudy urine during pregnancy.

Here’s the fact: It is wrong to self-medicate during pregnancy. In fact, it is advisable to receive prescriptions from only your attending physician in this period.

4. Use hot/warm compresses.

Sometimes, cloudy urine comes with abdominal pain. When this happens, you can relieve the pain by applying hot or warm compresses.

5. Reduce your salt and sugar intake

Meals with high sugar content may increase your risk for developing diabetes and, by extension, cloudy urine. Also, salty meals predispose you to kidney problems. Therefore, reducing your salt and sugar intake would reduce the symptoms of cloudy urine.

Conclusion

It is always good to consult your doctor if you notice any change in your body function during pregnancy. Although cloudy urine is not strange, you should keep an eye out for any drastic changes and report it to your doctor immediately.

References

Joanna Matuszkiewicz-Rowińska, Jolanta Małyszko, and Monika Wieliczko (2015). Urinary tract infections in pregnancy: old and new unresolved diagnostic and therapeutic problems. Archives of Medical Science. Accessed on 27th June, 2021 from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4379362/#__ffn_sectitle