When you are pregnant, anything can make you concerned. Urine is clear or a very pale yellow. A different color can indicate that something is wrong. Many people discount the color of their urine, but it is a great gauge for your body’s health. A pregnant woman may experience cloudy urine pregnancy for a variety of reasons. Let’s take a look at the possible reasons and the treatments for them. Don’t fret just yet!
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Reasons for Cloudy Urine during Pregnancy
1. Urinary Tract Infections
If there is one thing all women dread, it is a UTI. They are annoying and painful, and they can lead to your urine looking cloudy.
UTIs happen for a variety of reasons, especially while you are pregnant. You may not be urinating enough, but most pregnant women can’t stay out of the bathroom!
Even though they are dreadful, UTIs are common. Around 2 to 4% of pregnant women will get one during their pregnancy. You typically will notice other symptoms such as mucus in urine, pain while urinating; abdominal discover and pelvic pain.
To get rid of the infection, your doctor will typically prescribe an antibiotic. Thankfully, urinary tract infections are easy to treat.
2. Proteinuria
For pregnant women in their second and third trimester, a condition called proteinuria can show up.
It happens whenever your urine contains high levels of protein. It can be an early sign of preeclampsia, especially if you have constant high blood pressure.
Preeclampsia is a dangerous condition during pregnancy and will require you to be closely monitored during your pregnancy.
- If you notice cloudy urine and know your blood pressure is high, you should alert your OBGYN.
3. Hormones
Pregnancy leads to a high level of hormones that drastically increases. Your body begins to produce the pregnancy hormone – HCG.
Within a few weeks, this hormone will double very quickly. It is possible for certain hormones to find their way into your urine, leading to the cloudy appearance.
If this is the cause, you can relax.
It will resolve itself, typically as you come to the 12th week of your pregnancy. Most of your hormones will level out as you enter your second trimester.
4. Certain Foods
Everything changes during pregnancy. Certain dietary changes and foods can cause cloudy urine pregnancy issues.
There are some foods, like asparagus and orange juice, which can lead to the change. Drinking milk that is high in phosphate could cause crystals. You would know if this is the issue because of the smell that accompanies the cloudy urine.
If you think this is the problem, it would be a great idea to keep a running list of the foods you eat and when you notice changes in your urine.
You should be able to tell a pattern.
5. Dehydration
During pregnancy, you have to increase your intake of water. You should typically drink your weight in ounces. It is a lot of water, but dehydration is a common problem.
It can lead to your urine appearing cloudy or darker than normal. This is typically an easy thing to solve.
Make sure you increase your water intake.
If the problem continues, speak to your healthcare provider because some medical conditions can lead to chronic dehydration.
6. Medications
- If you are taking any certain drugs during your pregnancy, you should read the fine print.
There is a chance cloudy urine is a common side effect.
Call your OB or midwife to let them know, but the chances are that the cloudy urine will stop after you stop taking your medication.
7. Vaginal Discharge
There are a lot of changes taking place down there in preparation of birth. There is a chance you could have abnormal amounts that lead to cloudy urine.
If you suspect this as the problem, medical support is the best choice of action. There could be an underlying condition at work.
8. Too Many Vitamins
All pregnant women should take prenatal vitamins.
However, if you are taking other vitamins in addition to prenatal vitamins, there is a chance you are consuming too much. Excess amounts of Vitamins B and C can lead to cloudy urine.
To fix this problem, cut back on all of them except the prenatal vitamins.
9. Kidney Stone
Most people will experience pain when they have kidney stones. However, you could still have them. They are one of the causes of cloudy urine during pregnancy.
The cloudiness is caused by pus from the kidney stone entering the urine. Passing a kidney stone si no joke. It is a painful experience, leading to possible tears or blockages.
If you are having pains and cloudy urine, you should seek medical attention right away.
10. STDs
Typically, you would know you had an STD because OBGYNs do a test early in pregnancy to treat them. However, If you contract it during pregnancy, a sexually transmitted disease can cause cloudy urine, especially gonorrhea.
The vaginal discharge, from the STD, is the culprit. Check for other symptoms like an unpleasant odor, cramps, discolored discharge or a burning sensation.
You need to be treated for sexually transmitted diseases quickly while pregnant.
When to Be Concerned about Cloudy Urine
As you can tell by the list, most of the reasons that could cause cloudy urine are easy to fix. Most of them aren’t going to cause harm to you or your baby, especially if you wait a few days to determine the reason. However, there are certain signs you should watch for that could accompany the strange cloudiness.
- Cramps
- Foul odor
- Incontinence
- Abdominal or back region pain
All of these signs are indicators that something major is going on. You should contact your healthcare professional immediately. Most of the time, your baby is safe from any harm. However, you need treatment. An infection can lead to preterm labor. As always, it is important to keep yourself healthy, especially during pregnancy. You have a baby coming soon!
Solving the Cloudy Urine Pregnancy Issue
If you wake up one morning and notice cloudy urine, the first thing you should do is don’t freak out!
Stop and think back to your previous day.
Did you drink enough water? Did you eat something different like asparagus? Are you on any medications or taking antibiotics? These are all factors.
Next, observe any types of odd changes with your body, besides the ones that are pregnancy related. Do you have any pains, such as back or urinating pains?
Typically, the cause of your cloudy urine isn’t harmful to you or your baby.
It is a good idea to alert your provider if you are worried it is serious.
