The color of urine in a pregnant woman. Physiological changes in urine. Learning how to properly collect urine for analysis

The most common test during pregnancy is a general urine test. The results of a urine test show the doctor how the metabolic processes in the body proceed. One of the main indicators by which the gynecologist determines whether everything is in order with the health of a woman carrying a child is the color of urine.

During pregnancy, all women are very attentive to their health and it is quite natural that the slightest change in the color of urine causes them anxiety, whether everything is in order with the body and over the course of an interesting situation. Therefore, in this article we will consider what color urine during pregnancy is normal, and what reasons can lead to a change in its color.

What color is urine during pregnancy?

Before we look at the causes that lead to a change in the color of urine, let's find out what the natural color of the discharge is. The normal color of urine during pregnancy is the same as that of any healthy woman: it can be from straw-pale to yellow-saturated. The color intensity of urine depends on the concentration of coloring substances in it - urochromes.

A change in the color of urine occurs due to the presence of pigments in it, which should not normally be present. This condition can be caused by diseases, taking medications, eating certain types of foods.

Causes of urine color change during pregnancy

So, let's look at how and why the color of urine changes, in which case this change is not dangerous for the health of the mother and child, and in which it is necessary to immediately seek medical help.

Bright, orange or yellow urine

Many pregnant women have noticed that the color of their urine changes after a new life is born in them. In fact, the onset of pregnancy does not affect the color of urine. It's just that most expectant mothers from the first weeks of an interesting situation begin to take special vitamin complexes for women who are carrying a child. And the components included in their composition, for example, folic acid, are not fully absorbed and excreted from the body by the kidneys, leading to urine staining. Also, taking nitrofuran preparations, regularly eating carrot juice or carrots, as well as foods containing food coloring, leads to the fact that the urine has a yellow or orange color.

Yellow but dark urine

This color of discharge is a symptom of dehydration. This can be caused by insufficient fluid intake in summer, when the air temperature is very high and sweating is too intense. Also, toxicosis, accompanied by profuse vomiting, or preeclampsia, leading to severe swelling of the body, can lead to dehydration. It is worth noting that yellow, but dark urine is not always a sign of pathology. All healthy women in position in the morning may have urine of a darker color. Since if you do not go to the toilet a little at night, then the concentration of urine increases significantly.

Reddish or pink urine

If the urine has acquired a pink or red tint, then this indicates that there is blood in it. This is a symptom of a disease such as inflammation of the kidneys (pyelonephritis, glomerulonephritis). With these diseases, a change in the color of urine during pregnancy is not the only sign. So, in the case of the development of pyelonephritis, the expectant mother will have an increase in body temperature, painful frequent urination and pain in the lumbar region and abdomen. And glomerulonephritis is accompanied by a significant increase in blood pressure and severe swelling, especially on the face. Also, damage to the urinary canals when stones and sand move through them, if a pregnant woman has urolithiasis, can also lead to blood entering the urine. Another disease in which the color of urine changes to pink or red is inflammation of the bladder (cystitis). It is also characterized by a feeling of pain and burning in the urethra, frequent urge to the toilet for a small one and pain in the lower abdomen. But you should not immediately panic when you see pink urine, you need to remember what the expectant mother ate the day before. So, the use of dishes that include beets, for example, vinaigrette or borscht, can lead to a short-term change in the color of urine.

Greenish-brown or brown urine

If during pregnancy the urine changed from yellow to brown, then this is a signal of problems with the gallbladder or liver. The cause of these diseases may be cholecystitis or viral hepatitis. Liver diseases often manifest themselves during the bearing of a child, since during pregnancy this organ experiences an enormous load, because it needs to remove the waste products not only of the mother, but also of her child.

What to do if urine color changes

Determining the state of health of a woman in a position, the doctor takes into account such an indicator as the color of her urine. Therefore, if the expectant mother notices that the color of the urine has changed, she should immediately inform her gynecologist about this. At the same time, a woman must definitely notify the doctor about what medications she is taking, what foods she has eaten in recent days. You should also tell the gynecologist about the presence of chronic diseases or the appearance of any other symptoms. This will help the doctor to correctly determine the causes of the changes.

A pregnant woman observes constant changes in her body - the body is changing, metabolic processes are being rebuilt. The color of urine may become significantly darker or lighter. The main thing is not to panic, and calmly figure out why this is happening.

Does urine color change during pregnancy?

In any person, regardless of gender, position and age, the color of urine changes. It can be darker in the morning, lighter in the afternoon, etc. Blood is constantly being renewed, and as a result of the breakdown of hemoglobin pigments, particles of urobilin and urochrome are released - they are the ones that give urine its color.

Reference! All shades of yellow are considered normal, from almost transparent to mustard.

Naturally, in pregnant women, urine naturally changes color, but as the body works to the limit of its capabilities during gestation, these changes become more obvious.

Causes of color change

During pregnancy, the hormonal background changes and metabolic processes begin to proceed differently - this cannot but affect the shade of urine. Among other things, the color of urine is affected by:

• The amount of liquid consumed. The more a woman drinks, the more transparent the color of her urine.
• Toxicosis. Constant nausea, against which vomiting occurs, and suppressed appetite lead to dehydration, against which the urine becomes more concentrated.
• The use of coloring products. Beets, pomegranates, carrots, citrus fruits affect the color of the excreted liquid, regardless of the gender of the person.
• Nutritional supplements. Multivitamins and folic acid make urine color brighter and more saturated.
• Fetal metabolism. The child in the womb is constantly developing, and metabolic products are excreted into the mother's blood, and then into the urine.
• Increased blood pressure. Hypertension is a condition that greatly affects the well-being of the expectant mother. As a rule, if the root cause of hypertension is removed, the color of the urine returns to normal.
• Urinary system lesions. The shade of urine depends on which particular organ is affected. In some cases, redness (an admixture of blood) may appear; in others, a cloudy precipitate (pus).
• Preeclampsia. The disease most often manifests itself in the third trimester. A change in the color of urine is accompanied by swelling of the limbs and jumps in blood pressure.

Important! If you suspect that you have preeclampsia - immediately consult a doctor! This disease can affect the condition of the fetus.

What does urine color mean?

In some cases, the color of urine can give tentative information about what is happening with the body of the expectant mother.

- bright yellow color

Bright yellow or even orange urine in most cases is the result of taking multivitamins or folic acid.

Reference! Folic acid is vitamin B9, which is necessary for the fetus during the formation of vital organs.

As a rule, folic acid is not completely absorbed by the body, and part of the substance is excreted by the kidneys along with urine.

In addition, urine can give such a color:

1. preparations of nitrofurans;
2. food colorings;
3. carrots and its derivatives

- dark yellow color

Dark, concentrated urine is a frequent companion of dehydration against the background of toxicosis. Attacks of vomiting, refusal of food and water lead to the fact that the body of a pregnant woman experiences a mild degree of dehydration.

In addition, dehydration can occur due to living in too hot or dry climates.

In the third trimester, dark urine can be a sign of preeclampsia, a dangerous pathological condition that requires immediate medical attention.

Note! Remember that at night the concentration of urine in the bladder increases, and therefore in the morning the fluid secreted is somewhat darker than at any other time of the day.

- pink or reddish color

Urine may turn pinkish or even red if blood enters it. This can happen against the background of the following diseases:

1. Cystitis- accompanied by frequent urge to urinate, pain and burning in the urethra.
2. Gestational pyelonephritis Causes fever, lower back and abdominal pain, and frequent and painful urination. Urine takes on the color of "meat waste".
3. Glomerulonephritis- occurs in pregnant women quite often. Accompanied by swelling of the face, especially in the morning

Sometimes redness can be due to completely harmless reasons, such as the use of pomegranate, cherry or beetroot.

- brownish, greenish-brown color

Urine the color of green tea or light beer indicates that the liver and gallbladder of a pregnant woman are experiencing tremendous stress due to the removal of metabolic products of the embryo.

Among other things, brownish urine may indicate the presence of viral hepatitis or cholecystitis.

- cloudy urine

In both cystitis and urethritis, the urine loses its natural transparency and becomes cloudy with flakes. Both of these ailments affect the well-being of a pregnant woman and require medical intervention.

- light yellow color

Light, almost transparent urine is a sign that its concentration is very low. This symptom manifests itself in women who drink a lot of fluids during the day or take diuretics (they are often prescribed to treat preeclampsia).

Urine that is too light can be an indication of the development of gestational diabetes or kidney failure.

In what cases should you see a doctor?

The psychological health of a pregnant woman is no less important for the formation of the fetus than the physical one. Therefore, if urine of an unusual color is found, it is better to consult a doctor as soon as possible in order to dispel all gloomy doubts.

Tell your doctor about what foods you've been eating lately, what multivitamins you've been taking, and when you first noticed changes in the color of your urine.

Important! If cloudy urine is accompanied by any other unpleasant symptoms, be sure to tell your doctor about it. This will help the specialist to make the correct diagnosis.

Most often, there is no cause for concern - as mentioned earlier, the color of urine during pregnancy changes for understandable physiological reasons. You can watch the color of your urine for a few days to see what's causing it to change. However, you should not delay a visit to the doctor if:

• The urine became very cloudy. Inclusions appeared in it in the form of flakes, pus, or bloody clots.
• Urine turned dark brown. All the symptoms characteristic of liver pathologies appeared.
• Urination causes pain and discomfort, swelling of the body has appeared, fever has risen.
• The color of urine has changed dramatically for no apparent reason.

Carrying a child is a responsible task for a future mother. She simply has no right to ignore the signals and reactions of her body.

If you have suspicions about the development of any ailment, be sure to inform the gynecologist about this so that he, if necessary, directs you to the right specialist. So you can get rid of a progressive disease in time.

To make an accurate diagnosis, the doctor may give a referral for the following medical measures and tests:

• ultrasound examination of the abdominal cavity and kidneys;
• general urine analysis;
• urinalysis according to Nechiporenko and Zimnitsky.
• general blood analysis;
• biochemical blood test for urea, creatinine, bilirubin and antibodies to erythrocytes.

The data obtained as a result of the study will help the doctor see the complete clinical picture, make an accurate diagnosis and prescribe the necessary therapeutic measures.

The influence of urine color on the sex of the child

There is a theory that the color of urine during pregnancy can indicate the sex of the unborn child. If the secreted liquid becomes dark, then a boy will be born, if it is light, a girl.

Conventionally, this can be explained by the fact that the male hormones of the fetus affect the body of the expectant mother, and this, in turn, affects the shade of urine. It should be borne in mind that this information was obtained as a result of observations and does not have a scientific basis, so do not take it too seriously.

Reference! From 16 to 18 weeks, the sex of the unborn child can be determined using ultrasound.

The desire to look behind the veil of secrecy and find out who will be born - a boy or a girl, is understandable. Previously, women were guided mainly by signs, some of which are very funny:

• Belly shape. If the belly is round and neat, like a watermelon, then a girl will be born. If elongated and oval like a melon, then a boy will be born.
• External changes. If the skin becomes irritated, swollen and inflamed, and the hair is brittle, dry and begins to fall out, then the future daughter is taking away her mother's beauty. If, on the contrary, a fresh blush appears on the face, and the hair becomes thick and shiny, the son makes his mother beautiful.
• Taste preferences. Future mothers of girls cannot live without sweets and fruits. If a woman bears a boy under her heart, she wants salty and meat.
• The first movements. The girl starts to push from the left side, the boy - from the right.

All of the above is nothing more than a coincidence, so treat this as an amusing fortune-telling before the opportunity to find out the truth on an ultrasound.

Conclusion

During pregnancy, it is extremely important to visit a doctor regularly and take all the necessary tests. The color of urine is an indicator that changes are taking place in the body, and only a doctor can say whether they are positive, neutral or negative.

Especially for- Elena Kichak

The color of urine during pregnancy can change, and there are many reasons for this. Waiting for the birth of a baby is a serious burden on the mother's body. During pregnancy, not only the hormonal background and the outlines of the figure change, but often there are malfunctions in the work of internal organs.

Why can the color of urine change in pregnant women? In what cases is this considered a variant of the norm, and when is it better to hurry up with seeking medical help so as not to harm the baby growing in the stomach, as well as your own body? We will answer these other questions in our article.

A change in the color of urine during pregnancy is considered a natural phenomenon that develops in response to various changes in the maternal body. But what color of urine in pregnant women is normal, and what is a sign of the development of disorders?

In the early stages

What color urine should have during pregnancy is of interest to many women because of a popular sign.

Naturally, this technique has no scientific justification, because the color of urine in early pregnancy is affected by:

• , due to which there is a risk of developing dehydration;
• the amount of liquid you drink;
• addiction to certain foods;
• reception .

During pregnancy, you can’t risk your health, because you are responsible not only for your life, but also for the baby growing under your heart, so if you find a change in urine color in the early stages, be sure to tell your doctor about it.

At a later date

The color of urine during pregnancy can be influenced by many reasons. In the last trimester, special attention should be paid to this issue, because a change in the color of urine can indicate developing, as well as other diseases of the genitourinary system.

Gestosis is characterized by a triad of symptoms:

1. and pastosity of the limbs.
2. High pressure.
3. The appearance of protein in urine.

The development of such a condition poses a threat to the mother and child, so carefully monitor your well-being.

Causes of color change

Normally, during pregnancy, urine can have various shades of yellow, from pale light straw to rich mustard.

What color is urine in pregnant women? It is impossible to answer this question unambiguously. Even if you go to the laboratory where they take tests from expectant mothers, then each jar of urine will have its own shade, and almost all of them are a variant of the norm.

The change in the shade of excreted urine is influenced not only by the natural processes occurring in the body of a pregnant woman, but also by other factors:

• The saturation of the color depends on the rate of metabolic processes, as well as on the amount of fluid drunk and excreted.
• Eating certain vegetables or fruits can change the color of urine. For example, the predominance of carrots in the diet gives an orange color to urine during pregnancy, and frequent eating of beets stains it in a burgundy-red hue.
• Some groups of drugs can give a dark, red or rich yellow color to the urine.
• Features of the functioning of renal filtration of urine in the process of bearing a child.

What do the different shades say?

If the color of urine changes during pregnancy, this can be an alarming signal of the development of pathological conditions in the body of a pregnant woman.

red tint

Red urine during pregnancy is an alarming sign. Urine acquires this color when an admixture of blood appears in it.

This can occur with the following diseases:

• glomerulonephritis;
• urolithiasis disease;
• the color of the urine will also be red.

The processes are accompanied by a general deterioration in the condition, hyperthermia often occurs, the patient complains of the development of pain attacks.

Some dishes (vinaigrette), as well as the use of medicines, can give a pink tint to urine.

Colorless urine

Clear, light yellow urine indicates that the woman is drinking large amounts of fluids, causing the urine to become low-concentration. It is necessary to carefully monitor the color of urine during pregnancy, and if it has not ceased to be colorless for several days, this may threaten increased leaching of salts and minerals.

orange shade

The most common cause of this coloration is the intake of folic acid. Vitamin B9 is not fully absorbed, so part of it is excreted unchanged in the urine. Also, nitrofuran drugs and carrot juice can give orange color to urine.

Dark yellow shade

Caused by high concentration of urine. It often occurs due to dehydration of the body, which occurs with insufficient water intake, as well as early toxicosis. In addition, in the morning, the content of substances in the fluid secreted by the kidneys is higher, so the urine has a more intense color.

Brown, brownish green

It is a pathological symptom that indicates problems with the gallbladder or liver, especially if other signs and cholecystitis are present:

• yellowness of the sclera and skin;
• discolored feces;
• emotional disturbances;
• skin itching.

In such a situation, an immediate appeal to the doctor is required.

In what cases should you see a doctor?

The color of urine during pregnancy, especially in the early stages, often changes for physiological reasons. However, it is necessary to pay attention to its shade, because in some situations it may indicate the development of diseases.

Be sure to visit a doctor if you find that:

• urine became cloudy, foreign inclusions appeared in it - flakes, impurities of pus, blood;
• urine has acquired a rich brown color, while there are complaints characteristic of liver pathology;
• simultaneously with a change in shade, pain in the kidney area occurred;
• The color changed abruptly for no apparent reason.

Pregnancy is not a state when you can ignore the reactions of the body. In case of any suspicion of the development of violations, it is better to tell your gynecologist about this so that he can refer you to the right specialist. He will tell you what color urine should be in pregnant women, and will help get rid of the developing pathology.

The influence of urine color on the sex of the child

The color of urine during pregnancy is not only a diagnostic criterion for a state of health.

Since ancient times, women have been interested in who will be born. It is now, starting from 16-18 weeks, you can determine the gender of the child with the help.

Previously focused only on signs:

• the shape of the abdomen;
• changes in the appearance of the expectant mother;
• taste preferences in food;
• change in the nature of the pregnant woman.

They also tried to determine the sex of the child by the color of the urine. . If it has a bright yellow color, then the woman wears a boy under her heart. With a light shade of urine, a girl will be born to the mother.

Such information is based only on the experience of observations, they do not have scientific justification and confirmation, however, they make it possible to brighten up the time of tedious waiting for the day when it becomes known who will be born to young parents.

Urine is a visual embodiment of the result of the work of the kidneys. Various changes in external and internal factors, incl. and pregnancy, inevitably lead to a change in the physical and physical parameters of this excrement. To get an idea of ​​the current state of the excretory system, analyzes are carried out in the laboratory.

At home, it will be possible to perform a urine test only in appearance. How reliable are these findings? Is it possible to draw a conclusion about the presence or absence of any pathologies by the color of the discharge? Let's figure it out.

What factors affect the color of urine?

Normal urine in a pregnant woman has various variations of a light yellow color, from pale straw to saturated. This color is associated with the presence in the secretions of urobilin, a breakdown product of the blood protein hemoglobin. The concentration of urobilin may vary depending on:

• time of day;
• health status of the expectant mother;
• physical activity of a pregnant woman;
• air temperature and humidity.

Due to the dynamic change of these factors, the color of urine will constantly be different. Also, the color of urine can change after taking medications, the amount of fluid you drink, and your diet. During pregnancy, a change in the color and composition of urine is inevitable, because. metabolism changes radically. But with a normal pregnancy, the characteristics of urine are within the normal range.

Note to the curious . There is no clear relationship between the color of urine and the sex of the unborn child. Therefore, we can only sympathize with those who are especially impatient and recommend to be patient until the 12th week, when the baby's genitals can be examined on ultrasound.

The dependence of urine color on external conditions

You may have noticed before that urine is darker in the morning than in the afternoon. This is due to the peculiarities of physiology. At night, more concentrated urine is produced. For this reason, for the vast majority of tests, a morning portion of urine is taken. The logic is simple - the higher the content of substances, the easier it is to detect and quantify them.

Also, the color of urine is directly affected by the amount of fluid that the body receives or loses. If you have drunk more water or drinks than your body needs, the "extra" water will "dilute" the urobilin and your urine will become lighter in color. On the contrary, in some conditions, water may not be enough, and the urine will be darker.

Lack of water can occur if a lot of fluid is lost through sweating, such as during hot weather, while playing sports or doing housework. Also, a significant amount of water is lost during diarrhea and vomiting.

Fluid losses must be replenished. In some cases, this is difficult to do, for example, with indomitable. In such a situation, it is necessary to consult with your doctor.

Some foods contain pigments that are not destroyed by digestion and are excreted unchanged. Due to the use of such products, the color of urine may acquire uncharacteristic shades:

• pink - from beets, cherries, blackberries;
• greenish - from jealousy;
• yellow - from carrots.

In this situation, there is no danger to the body of the expectant mother. But synthetic food coloring can have the same effect. From drinks and products that contain such components, it is best to refrain.

The color of urine may change during treatment with various drugs. The most common option for pregnant women is the use of multivitamins. They almost always contain riboflavin (vitamin B 2) and folic acid, from which the urine becomes bright yellow.

Of the less harmless drugs that are prohibited during pregnancy, but which you could come across, we should mention 5-NOC (aka nitroxoline), Furamag, Furadrnin, Furazolidone. These agents also turn urine bright yellow. Usually the manufacturer mentions such nuances in the instructions. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you study this information before taking the drug, especially during pregnancy.

How are urine color and health related?

Malfunctions in the functioning of a number of organs and systems also affect the shade of secretions.

Excessively light urine. Formed in violation of the kidneys or diabetes. In the first case, the lack of pigment is explained by the inability of the kidneys to remove harmful and unnecessary substances from the body in the required volume. In diabetes, glucose is excreted in the urine and “pulls” water along with it.

Red or rose red. This happens if there are impurities of fresh blood in the excrement. A similar shade of urine can signal acute cystitis, acute pyelonephritis, exacerbations of urolithiasis. With these pathologies, the integrity of the epithelium lining the urinary tract is violated, and fresh blood enters the urine through microtraumas.

Dirty pink color. Urine of the color of meat slops is a characteristic sign of glomerulonephritis. Blood does not enter the urine from the urinary tract, but because the glomeruli of the kidneys cannot cope with their filtering function and pass substances into the urine that should not normally be in it.

Shades of brown or green. The discharge is greenish-brown or the color of tea leaves indicates violations of the liver and gallbladder.

Milky white color. This shade of urine is characteristic when lymph enters it. This occurs when infected with certain types of worms, disruption of communication between the lymphatic vessels and the urinary tract due to injury or the development of malignant tumors.

The presence of fats in the urine. This phenomenon is called lipuria. It can be determined with the naked eye - a fatty film collects on the surface of the urine. Lipuria is mainly observed in fractures of tubular bones, when a large amount of fat enters the bloodstream and clogs the capillaries of the kidneys. Less commonly, it develops in diabetes mellitus.

Black or red-brown color. This coloration of urine occurs with the pathological breakdown of the muscle protein myoglobin. This phenomenon is most often observed in the syndrome of prolonged compression, when, due to emergency circumstances (accident, natural disasters, military operations, etc.), the victim was under the rubble of buildings or structures for a long time, was squeezed by deformed structures, for example, the body of a vehicle.

Should I pay attention to changing the color of urine during pregnancy?

Dear women! Before looking for any pathology in yourself, we strongly recommend that you pay attention to the following fact. Urine discoloration caused by serious medical conditions is extremely rare on its own. As a rule, it is accompanied by other characteristic symptoms. For example, the characteristic signs of glomerulonephritis are dirty pink urine in combination with and increased blood pressure.

In some cases, urine of the same color can be in a healthy and sick woman. It is wrong to judge the state of health only by the appearance of urine; an accurate statement of any diagnosis is carried out on the basis of a comprehensive examination.

If you are concerned about any changes in your body, do not jump to conclusions. Discuss this issue with your doctor, and after receiving the results of the tests, decide how to proceed. We wish you only pleasant emotions during pregnancy. Be healthy!