First Trimester

Cloudy Urine During Pregnancy

Cloudy Urine During Pregnancy

Our body is like a machine that has parts with significant functions to perform. However, sometimes, there could occur some forms of abnormalities in the urine that could indicate the presence of a disease or other underlying medical conditions. Normal urine should appear clear or with a straw yellowish tinge of color. However, the odor of the urine is not always the same and could vary from person to person. Under normal conditions, urine should not have a very strong odor. Consuming certain kinds of foods could cause a particular scent to be excreted in the urine. When you are dehydrated, your urine becomes darker and more concentrated with a strong scent quite similar to ammonia. Moreover, certain types of medications could cause some changes in the color and odor of the urine. Sometimes, if you have cloudy urine, it could indicate a bacterial infection present in your urinary tract. A bacterial infection could also affect the odor of the urine. Experiencing pain or a burning sensation while urinating could be a sign of a urinary tract infection. People who have uncontrolled diabetes have an excessively sweet odor in their urine. Sometimes, certain medical conditions or genetic abnormalities could also be the cause of the cloudy appearance or strange odor of the urine.

If you're pregnant, cloudy urine could likely be an indicator of hormonal changes, or dietary changes. Eating more protein can lead to cloudy urine. Having cloudy or frothy urine could also indicate the presence of kidney stones, diabetes, upper respiratory infection (URI), or some kind of an underlying health condition, which may or may not be serious. Having cloudy urine does not necessarily mean that you're ill. However, it may or may not be accompanied by a bad odor.

What does cloudy urine really mean if you're pregnant?

CloudyUrinePregnancy

The quality and quantity of the urine you pass largely depends on your health condition, what you eat, vitamin intake, and your basic lifestyle. However, to better understand what's going on in your body, it is important to understand what normal urine looks and smells like as well as to distinguish the abnormal signs. If you are knowledgeable of the unusual signs, you will be able to effectively explain your symptoms to your doctor. 

Cloudy urine and pregnancy

Is there a link between pregnancy and cloudy urine? This is a question that a number of pregnant women have in their mind. Cloudy urine could occur in pregnancy due to a number of factors. Most of the time, cloudy urine among pregnant women can be due to the various hormonal changes that occur in the body as a result of pregnancy. It is mostly seen during the early stages of pregnancy and tends to go away as the pregnancy progresses, specifically when the hormones in the body begin to settle down. A sudden alteration of one's diet during pregnancy could also influence the cloudy appearance of the urine.

Although having cloudy urine during pregnancy can be considered as normal, it might be the opposite in some cases. In the early months of pregnancy, some women with cloudy urine could have a urinary tract infection. Normally, a pregnant woman tends to urinate more than usual, and when the frequency of urination slows down, it could be a sign of a UTI. Sometimes, there is also a high possibility that the vaginal discharge gets mixed with the urine, thereby giving its cloudy appearance. Hence, cloudy urine in pregnancy is only a cause of concern when women have other symptoms of a urinary tract infection such as burning sensation or pain while urinating. If such symptoms appear, it is best to consult your gynecologist right away.

Cases related to proteinuria can also be a cause of cloudy urine among pregnant women. Such condition happens due to a high concentration of protein being excreted in the urine, which can also be a sign of preeclampsia.

Around 4 percent of women can have symptoms of urinary tract infections while pregnant. Abdominal discomforts and pain around the pelvic area are all cumulative signs of a UTI. It is important that you complete the course of UTI treatment, which usually includes antibiotics to completely get rid of the infection and for the healthy development of your baby.

Hormones in pregnancy 

During pregnancy, hormones behave differently, causing various disruptions in one's normal body functioning. The rising levels of hormones could easily cause cloudy urine. There can be cloudy urine as the pregnancy advances and the body starting to produce certain hormones that are essential for the development of the placenta, particularly after the 12th week of pregnancy. 

If the cloudy appearance of urine is due to the hormonal fluctuations in the body, then the symptom will resolve on its own at the end of the first trimester.

Dietary changes while pregnant

Sudden changes in the diet can sometimes cause cloudy urine in pregnant women. Foods such as dairy products, oranges, and asparagus can cause cloudy urine. If you have made recent changes to your diet, then food could also be a possible reason of having a hazy urine.

Medications 

Sometimes, there are certain medications prescribed to pregnant women that could also cause a change in the urine's appearance. Avoid taking over-the-counter drugs without informing your doctor. Therefore, always consult your doctor before taking any type of medication to avoid unnecessary side effects that could harm both you and your unborn child.

Seeing bubbles in your urine

The color, odor, frequency and density of urine are important indicators of certain underlying diseases. It also indicates basic health parameters such as the level of infection in the body, hydration levels, consumption of medicine, and the vitamin and mineral levels in the body. Vitamin levels need to be taken in consideration and recorded more carefully if you are pregnant.

If your urine is colorless, then it could indicate an excessive consumption of water or even caffeine. Avoid an excess amount of caffeine if you're pregnant. Various shades of yellow that goes up to an amber color could indicate dehydration in the body. The color of your urine can range from clear and colorless to deep yellow. However, there are also cases where unusual colors show such as red and blue.

What does different colored urine indicate?

1. Bluish green 

Having bluish green urine can be due to the consumption of certain medicines such as vitamins, laxatives, chemotherapy drugs, and radiation itself. If you are not under medication and did not undergo chemotherapy but still find your urine to be bluish green in appearance, then it is worth discussing your health issue with your doctor.

2. Bright yellowish orange 

This urine color could indicate an excessive consumption of vitamin C, beetroot, and other foods from the orange family. This color could also be a result of certain medicines that could give the urine a yellowish-orange tinge.

3. Dark orange or brown 

Having dark orange or brown-colored urine could be a sign of a serious problem. It could be mean that you have excreted excess bile in your urine or could even indicate a serious liver issue.

4. Pink or red 

Pink or red urine could be an indication that you have consumed red-colored foods. It could also indicate the presence of blood in the urine. Having blood in your urine could mean a serious health condition as it could be an indication of an internal injury, kidney disorders, and sometimes, cancer.

Cloudy urine is often associated with the presence of phosphates, which are linked to kidney stones. If the cloudy urine is accompanied by other symptoms such as pain and burning sensations while urinating or having a urinary urgency could mean a serious infection of the urinary tract, which needs immediate medical attention.

What causes cloudy urine?

There are several causes why urine can turn cloudy. Some of these health issues could be serious, while others may be one-off, especially during pregnancy. However, if you continually pass cloudy urine for a long time, then it would be better if you consult your OB/GYN for a proper diagnosis and corresponding treatment.

Some of the common causes of cloudy urine include:

1. Diabetes

Cloudy urine is considered to be a usual symptom among people who have diabetes. Although there is said to be a link between the disease and the symptoms, it may not always be the case. A urine showing an abnormal color may not be due to diabetes. However, cloudy urine could occur due to a number of diabetes complications. Sometimes, people who have diabetes also have other medical conditions such as a high creatinine level, which indicates a kidney dysfunction. The abnormal appearance of urine can also be due to proteinuria, which is the presence of protein in the urine. Proteinuria is another complication of diabetes, signifying a chronic kidney disease

Feeling very thirsty and an increased urge to urinate are some of the main symptoms of diabetes. People with diabetes have excessive sugar in their body, which tends to build up in their bloodstream. The kidneys then work harder to filter and absorb any excessive sugar that may exist in the bloodstream.

Other related conditions also include infections in the urinary tract and sexually transmitted diseases.

2. Urinary tract infection (UTI)

UTIs are considered to be very common for women who are pregnant. It is important to monitor these with your doctor as to not cause any future complications with the baby.

Normal urine is clear and has a straw yellow color. When your urine is not clear, it will look cloudy or foamy white. Cloudy urine could happen to people of any age due to dehydration, particularly when it occurs for a short period of time. For both men and women, certain infections are one of the main reasons for cloudy urine. Infections could often cause pus to mix in the urine, which gives the urine its cloudy appearance.

Blood in the urine can also lead to a cloudy appearance. Women who have inflammatory conditions such as bacterial and yeast vaginitis, other forms of sexually transmitted diseases like gonorrhea, as well as having an excessive vaginal discharge could also have cloudy urine since the particles and microorganisms present in the urine are making it appear hazy.

3. Kidney stones

Kidney stones are one of the most common causes of cloudy urine. In fact, it is one of the first symptoms observed for the determination of kidney stones along with other significant symptoms such as back pain. Cloudy urine is normally seen more in the morning than other times of the day, although it could continue any time of the day in some cases.

Mostly, the symptoms of kidney stones are not seen in people until the stone begins to move and block the flow of urine. When this happens, the symptoms may include the following:

  • Shooting pain in the back and the sides around the lower abdomen. The pain moves towards the groin region as a sharp and shooting pain.
  • Inability to comfortably stay in one position. The pain sometimes makes it difficult to sit, stand, or sleep causing serious discomfort.
  • Nausea or vomiting along with the pain
  • Blood traces in the urine
  • A frequent urge to pass urine. 

Sometimes, the kidney stones come with an infection, which causes other symptoms such as:

  • High or low-grade fever with sudden chills
  • Intense pain while urinating
  • Foul-smelling urine with a cloudy appearance