Pregnancy is a blessed phase of every women’s life and a time their body sees massive changes. Other than weight gain, you might notice deviation in urine color when you are pregnant; it may turn dark or cloudy.
Monitoring changes in your urine is a good practice. If you spot anything unusual, talk to your doctor for a urinalysis test to help you stay updated with your and your baby’s health.
Does The Color of Urine Change When You Are Pregnant?
Under normal conditions, your urine is light to medium yellow and turbid in appearance. However, in the case of a pregnant woman, the changes are more significant and noticeable. Instead of the regular yellow, urine turns dark to an orange-yellow shade.
The urine your kidney produces is mainly water mixed with other toxins and components. What gives urine its color is urobilin – a compound formed from dead erythrocytes.
Under adequate hydration, when the urine is in its dilute form, less concentration of urobilin gives it a lighter shade. On the flip side, when you do not take in enough water, the concentration increases; hence the urine becomes dark yellow.
When you pee more during the gestational period, there is an imbalance of the water-to-toxin ratio making the urine dark yellow.
Another reason for the color change of urine in a pregnant woman is the increased intake of vitamins, which significantly affects kidney function.
Can Urine Color Indicate Healthy Pregnancy?
Yes. If you smell or see anything unusual, get in touch with your doctor as soon as possible.
During pregnancy, the color and odor of your urine are a great example to test your health. If it appears darker and more concentrated, you are probably dehydrated, which is quite common among pregnant women. Stay hydrated and feel refreshed with the help of water and other fluids.
Besides urine color changes in pregnant women, its smell or odor is a good indicator of the current health state. For example, in the case of severe morning sickness, you may be dehydrated, making your urine flow less and dark.
If you can smell a horrendous urine odor, it can also be a sign of a UTI – a urinary tract infection, which is a common occurrence during pregnancy. Another added disadvantage is the heightened sense of smell due to hormonal changes, making you more susceptible to any unusual odors.
Types of Urinalysis During Pregnancy
Urine testing is non-invasive and a relatively easy way to keep a check on the pregnancy.
It would be best if you made it a practice to perform regular urine tests during pregnancy. This way, you can have clear information about your overall health. Other than that, urinalysis also aids the doctor to detect if there are any issues related to the mother or baby.
Disorders related to the kidney or UTIs are easily detectable by a high level of protein in the urine. Moreover, red blood cell detection or erythrocyte presence may indicate an infection.
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Our team at Aqeeq Internal Medicine is just a call away to answer your queries. Talk to us at (832) 786-8195. You can also visit our team at 16125 Cairnway Dr. Ste 114 Houston, TX 77084, right next to Chiropractic Clinic.