Despite the fact that pregnancy is a natural physiological state for a woman, her body during this period is subject to increased stress associated with the need to provide for the needs of the mother and growing child.
One of the most informative indicators of a woman’s condition is a urine test. As a rule, to obtain information about changes in its composition, a number of laboratory measures are necessary, but in some cases deviations from the norm are visible to the naked eye. First of all, this concerns color changes and loss of transparency.
Turbid urine during pregnancy can serve as a signal about ongoing processes of a pathological or physiological nature, but in any of these cases it requires a close study of the causes and nature of these deviations.
Urine clarity standards
Urine is the liquid excreted by the kidneys after passing through all stages of filtration. It contains processed products such as toxins, dead epithelial cells, salt compounds and some other substances that have become unnecessary for the body. But, despite this composition, in a healthy person, urine looks completely transparent and has a light yellowish color.
During pregnancy, depending on the stage or time of day, transparency indicators may change. Thus, a slight cloudiness in the morning is normal due to the increased formation of salts in the body, and in the first trimester it may be due to changes in eating behavior or lack of fluid in the body.
However, manifestations such as increased turbidity of urine, which makes it difficult to determine its color, cloudy urine during the day and evening for more than 2 days, the appearance of a strong odor, the formation of flakes and sedimentation, most often indicate the presence of pathological changes in the body.
Normal urine characteristics
When examining urine, the following indicators are taken into account:
- color;
- transparency;
- specific gravity;
- presence of sediment;
- cell types and other contaminants.
The color depends on the concentration of urea and urobilin - the higher it is, the more saturated the yellow color. Urobilin is a natural product of hemoglobin metabolism. But with liver pathology, an intermediate substance, bilirubin, gets into the urine. Therefore, it will have a dark color and foam a lot.
In healthy pregnant women, the urine is clear, with the exception of increased concentration, which is possible with dehydration or a long delay in going to the toilet. At the same time, the specific gravity, an indicator of the density of the medium, increases.
The urine should be free of protein, glucose and bacteria. They are pathological impurities and speak not only of kidney disease.
In a urine test, microscopy of the sediment must be performed. If your urine is cloudy during pregnancy, there will be a lot of sediment. In it, the laboratory technician will find blood cells, urinary tract tissues, or bacteria and salts.
Red blood cells in single quantities are not capable of changing the color of urine. But they talk about kidney pathology and impaired tubular permeability. Sometimes single red blood cells appear due to inaccurate washing, discharge from the genital tract of a pregnant woman with vaginal bleeding.
Cloudy urine during pregnancy
If urine has lost its clarity, this may mean a change in its composition due to increased concentration, deviations in acidity, or excessive intake of various substances.
Urine concentration
In some cases, cloudy urine is associated with dehydration. As a rule, this process is associated with insufficient daily fluid intake (less than 1.5 l) and its loss during severe toxicosis, accompanied by vomiting.
As a result, there is a decrease in the volume of urine (less than 150 ml is released), the color of the urine becomes bright yellow or orange.
In this case, cloudiness of the body fluid is not a pathological sign, since it does not contain foreign substances, but in order to reduce the load on the urinary ducts and avoid the formation of kidney stones, you should increase your daily intake of water and other drinks (with the exception of coffee) as soon as possible.
Composition of cloudy urine in pregnant women
Most often, cloudy urine in pregnant women is caused by a lack or excess of salts in its composition. Such deviations from normal urine are not considered a pathology during pregnancy, but can be aggravated due to certain dietary habits (for example, preference for salty and meat products leads to an additional increase in salts in the urine and phosphates and urates, and abuse of cocoa products leads to the formation oxalates).
An indicative sign of serious disorders in the body in pregnant women is the formation of a white sediment in the urine. Most likely, such an analysis will reveal an increased protein content, which indicates the development of gestosis (a common occurrence in the second trimester), manifested by severe swelling, or a number of other diseases.
Also, in case of kidney pathologies, an increased content of leukocytes, red blood cells, mucus and pathogenic bacteria can be found in the urine. In such cases, the doctor prescribes further examination and treatment.
It should be borne in mind that sometimes increased turbidity of urine can mean non-compliance with the rules for collecting urine and insufficient intimate hygiene before urination, as a result of which vaginal discharge gets into the urine. Therefore, in order for the examination result to be as reliable as possible, it is necessary to adhere to the following sequence of actions:
- carry out hygiene of the groin area;
- close the vaginal opening with a cotton swab;
- flush the initial portion of urine into the toilet;
- Collect an average portion of urine in a container.
After emptying the bladder, the jar of urine must be delivered to the laboratory within the next two hours. If this time is not observed, due to the loss of uric acid, even normal biomaterial may become cloudy, which will reduce the reliability of the result.
Optimal urinalysis parameters
In healthy women, urine is light yellow in color and completely transparent. Minor changes in color may be affected by certain medications, such as Metronidazole, or by eating beets.
The optimal indicators of the state of urine in a pregnant woman can be considered:
- light yellow color;
- absence of any visible sediment;
- the amount of protein should not exceed more than 500 mg/day;
- the presence of glucose is acceptable provided that it is absent in the blood;
- number of leukocytes – no more than 6 per field of view;
- the number of red blood cells is no more than 3 in the field of view;
- the average density should be 1012 g/l;
- the acid-base balance ranges from 5 to 7.4 pH.
When taking the test, it should be taken into account that the urine has a more intense color in the morning, which is associated with less fluid consumption during the night.
Factors influencing the composition of urine during pregnancy
The main factors that influence the state of urine during pregnancy are:
- diet;
- drinking regime;
- the presence of chronic diseases of the genitourinary system;
- taking vitamins and medications;
- physiological and hormonal changes depending on the duration of pregnancy.
In addition to eating and drinking habits, the composition of urine can be affected by taking certain medications. To exclude this factor, the attending physician may advise stopping their use before taking the test.
The main factor behind fluctuations in the level of various substances in the urine of pregnant women is physiological changes.
Changes in the body during pregnancy
As mentioned above, the onset of pregnancy in a woman is accompanied by serious hormonal and physiological changes. Now the kidneys must process metabolic products not only of the expectant mother, but also of her baby, as a result of which their size increases and the ureters expand.
These processes lead to a decrease in the tone of the genitourinary system, which, in turn, increases the risk of inflammatory processes (cystitis, pyelonephritis) and urolithiasis, as well as exacerbation of chronic diseases.
Cloudy urine in early pregnancy
In early pregnancy, the most common causes of cloudy urine are toxicosis and associated changes in diet and fluid intake. In these cases, turbidity does not indicate serious changes in the body, but if the urine acquires other signs - a strong unpleasant odor, the formation of a flaky suspension, the appearance of inclusions, a thorough examination should be carried out immediately.
In the second trimester, toxicosis is already receding and urine analysis should meet the standards, so the appearance of cloudy urine requires more attention.
Due to a significant increase in the size of the fetus and compression of internal organs in the third trimester, the outflow of fluid through the ureters is disrupted, which leads to frequent urination of small volumes of urine. During pregnancy, the appearance of sediment in the urine can become a common symptom and requires increased monitoring in order to prevent inflammatory diseases.
Reasons for changing status
During pregnancy, the load on the female body increases:
- kidneys work in enhanced mode;
- the ureters are compressed by the growing uterus;
- Bladder volume decreases due to fetal pressure.
A short urethra, decreased local immunity, and increased vaginal discharge can lead to cystitis. This infection is one of the most common complications of pregnancy. Inflammation of the bladder is accompanied by unpleasant symptoms and changes in the composition of urine. The cause of cloudiness is the presence of bacteria and leukocytes.
More pronounced changes are observed with pyelonephritis. This condition cannot be missed; the disease is accompanied by increased body temperature, pain in the lumbar region, and dysuric disorders. Acute pyelonephritis often begins to bother you in the second trimester. During this period, the fetus is actively growing, the position of the ureters changes and urodynamic disturbances occur.
It is important for a woman to collect the analysis correctly
In the early stages, turbidity may not be associated with kidney pathology. The following factors lead to changes in transparency:
- early toxicosis;
- hot weather and dehydration;
- a large proportion of meat products in the diet;
- drinking coffee, cocoa, chocolate;
- treatment of heartburn with soda.
Toxicosis may be accompanied by repeated vomiting. If the amount of fluid and electrolytes lost is incorrectly replaced, the urine becomes more concentrated and cloudy. In mild form, this condition does not pose a danger, but severe toxicosis requires hospitalization.
The risk of dehydration increases during the hot season. Pregnant women need to replenish the lack of fluids and salts that are excreted through sweat. The volume of liquid food and water should be at least 1.5-2 liters per day.
Heartburn often bothers you already in the first trimester. To reduce it, follow a diet and take special medications. Treatment with soda gives a temporary effect and may worsen the condition.
Coffee, chocolate, and meat products affect the salt composition of urine. With an increase in the volume of these products in the daily diet, oxalates, urates, or other types of compounds begin to be actively released, which affects the clarity of urine.
Preeclampsia is a danger for a pregnant woman. This is a pathology in which swelling develops, blood pressure rises and protein is lost in the urine. This can cause it to become a little cloudy and foam a lot. If alarming symptoms appear simultaneously with changes in urine characteristics, you should immediately consult a doctor. Preeclampsia is dangerous for the pregnant woman and the fetus due to the following complications:
- intrauterine fetal hypoxia;
- fetoplacental insufficiency;
- placental abruption;
- antenatal fetal death.
Cloudy urine during pregnancy may be due to violation of collection rules. During this period, under the influence of hormonal factors, the woman’s vaginal discharge increases due to an increase in estrogen levels. The mucosal epithelium actively stores glycogen, the main substrate for lactobacilli. Their number also increases several times compared to the normal state. Bacteria actively produce lactic acid and hydrogen peroxide, which, together with the dead epithelium, form a discharge.
Before collecting urine for analysis, it is necessary to carry out hygiene procedures and wash the genitals with soap. Then the entrance to the vagina is covered with a cotton swab so that the discharge does not get into the urine. If this is not done, flakes and threads of mucus will be visible in the jar, which will make the analysis cloudy and of poor quality.
It is important to deliver the test to the laboratory on time. This must be done within one to two hours. In the hot season, this period is shortened.
Bacteria begin to multiply in the container, the urine becomes cloudy and acquires a foul odor. The research will give false results.
Causes of cloudy urine during pregnancy
If we take into account all the main factors, we can name the following reasons why cloudy urine is formed:
- gestosis;
- presence of blood elements and bacteria;
- salt content;
- acidity deviations from the norm.
Salt content
The salt content affects the composition of urine, both in the case of their presence and in their deficiency. For pregnant women, a lack of salts is more typical, since most of these compounds are used for the development of the skeletal system of the unborn child. But due to dietary habits, the amount of salts in the urine can be increased, which can lead to consequences such as the formation of kidney stones, ureteral dysfunction, and an increased risk of inflammatory diseases.
Signs of increased levels of phosphorus salts (phosphates) or calcium oxalate (oxalates), in addition to cloudy urine, also include:
- sharp pain in the lower abdomen;
- itching and heat when urinating.
Presence of bacteria and blood cells
The presence of bacteria, leukocytes and red blood cells in the urine indicates an already existing inflammatory process in the urinary tract or kidneys. In this case, the doctor immediately prescribes treatment.
Acidity deviations from the norm
When urine becomes cloudy, laboratory analysis often reveals an abnormal pH value, which should fall within the range of 4.5 to 8.
What does it mean? As a rule, the dietary habits of the expectant mother have a direct impact on acidity. The alkaline environment in the urine is associated with an abundance of plant foods, and the acidic environment is associated with meat products. Increased acidity can also be a manifestation of a lack of potassium in the body.
How to remove salts from the body
Even in the last century, our grandmothers and great-grandmothers believed that the first sign of pregnancy was cloudy urine. It is possible that they were right, since high salt content in the urine can be a sign of pregnancy.
You can return all indicators to normal with the help of traditional medicine. To do this, there are several proven recipes for removing excess salts.
Let's take the advice of our ancestors:
- Freshly squeezed celery juice should be drunk three times a day, 0.5 tsp.
- Mix honey, lemon juice and olive oil (all in equal proportions). We drink natural medicine in the morning before starting breakfast. Dosage – 1 tsp.
It is advisable to consult your gynecologist before starting treatment with folk remedies. It happens that the expectant mother has low blood pressure or is allergic to bee products. Then lemon juice and honey are not suitable.
Risks associated with cloudy urine
The main danger that cloudy urine may indicate is the occurrence and development of inflammatory diseases of the kidneys and urinary tract (cystitis, pyelonephritis), renal failure and urolithiasis. These pathologies threaten serious consequences not only for the expectant mother, but also for the fetus.
If cloudy urine is caused by hormonal imbalances, then additional examination of the thyroid gland is also necessary. Untimely treatment of hormonal imbalance in the early stages can lead to miscarriage, and in later stages - to premature birth of a child.
Concentration
Urine may be cloudy in women who do not drink enough fluids or experience dehydration. For example, if the expectant mother experiences severe toxicosis in the first trimester, accompanied by vomiting.
The less urine overall is excreted, the more concentrated it is, the more likely it is to lose its clarity.
In the second and third trimester, cloudy urine occurs more often than in the early stages. This is due to the pressure that the growing uterus puts on the kidneys and ureters. At any month of pregnancy, discovering cloudy urine is a reason for an unscheduled visit to the doctor. There is no need to wait for the next appointment: the sooner the true cause of what is happening is found, the better it will be for everyone.
Normalization of urine clarity
Measures to restore urine clarity depend on the reasons that influenced the turbidity of the biological fluid.
For any kidney disorder, doctors prescribe a diet that involves reducing salt intake and normalizing the drinking regime. As well as excluding or minimizing foods such as smoked meats, pickles, fatty and fried meats and fish, spicy and hot spices.
It is advised to give preference to boiled meat and fish, fruits that have a low risk of allergic reactions and vegetables that do not cause increased gas formation (potatoes, beets, carrots). Compliance with the rules of eating and drinking behavior in most cases will normalize the composition and condition of urine, restoring its transparency and a light, yellowish tint.
If inflammatory processes in the urinary tract are diagnosed, the expectant mother is prescribed medications that do not have a negative effect on the development of the fetus. For regular use when bacteria are detected in the urine, treatment during pregnancy includes Furagin and Canephron, and in more serious cases, depending on the causative agent of inflammation, Cefuroxin, Doxycycline, Ampicillin, Amoxiclav or Cefazolin may be prescribed.
Folk recipes for treating kidneys during pregnancy include drinking natural birch sap or celery juice. Before using them, you should consult your doctor.
If turbidity was a problem during pregnancy, the urine should also be retested after delivery.
Diagnostics
If any changes in urine are detected, the patient should immediately consult a doctor. The specialist will determine the reasons why the composition or color of the urine has changed. Initially, doctors study the medical history of the expectant mother, and then send her for tests.
General diagnostic methods in such cases are as follows:
- passing a clinical urine test and Nechiporenko analysis;
- bacterial culture;
- carrying out ultrasound examination.
If you consult a specialist in time, you can prevent complications that pose a threat to the unborn child and mother. Treatment will depend on the cause of the symptom.
You cannot take any medications or other medications on your own. The result of such therapy may be unpredictable. Only an experienced doctor should carry out diagnosis and treatment. Not only a gynecologist, but also a therapist or nephrologist can be involved in developing a course of safe therapy.
Preventive actions
Preventive measures to prevent cloudy urine include maintaining intimate hygiene, proper drinking regimen, feasible physical activity and a balanced diet from the very beginning of pregnancy.
If you have problems with the genitourinary system before conceiving a child, you should inform your doctor about this. In this case, it is possible to prescribe a drug that supports kidney function.
Take care of yourself, control your health and let the period of bearing a baby be one of the happiest stages of your life, not overshadowed by poor condition and, especially, diseases!
Treatment
Cloudy urine is not always a reason for serious drug treatment. Sometimes it will be enough for a doctor who sees data from the laboratory to adjust the diet of the expectant mother.
If there is excess salt in the urine, a gentle diet is recommended . Smoked dishes, pickles and marinades, an abundance of spices, fried and spicy foods are removed from a pregnant woman’s diet. Minimize the use of table salt.
It is useful to change the drinking regime, make it sufficient to drink the most ordinary clean drinking water. If a woman has a tendency to develop edema, the exact amount of water per day should be discussed with the attending physician.
If there is no gestosis, then it is permissible to drink up to 2 liters per day. Birch sap helps normalize the water-salt balance. But not the one sold in three-liter jars in all grocery stores. We are talking about real birch wood, which is harvested in the spring. It should be drunk without added sugar. Celery juice comes to the aid of a pregnant woman in the fight against salts in the urine.
If bacteria and blood cells are detected in the urine, an additional examination is required; it is also advisable to do an ultrasound of the kidneys and bladder and visit a nephrologist.
When pyelonephritis, cystitis and other unpleasant inflammatory diseases of the urinary system are detected, treatment is prescribed that corresponds to the specific diagnosis. It usually includes diuretics, vitamins, anti-inflammatory drugs and physiotherapy. Sometimes there is a need to use antibiotics, which the doctor chooses for the expectant mother.
In this case, protein foods are added to the pregnant woman’s diet - meat and fish, chicken eggs, beets and potatoes. The ban on spicy, smoked, fried and fatty foods remains. It is also not recommended to consume large amounts of cottage cheese and fermented milk products.
Despite numerous traditional medicine tips that offer the expectant mother to quickly get rid of turbidity, all decoctions and herbal teas should be consumed only after discussing their recipes with your doctor - many herbs that are very useful for non-pregnant women can be very harmful while expecting a baby.
Turbidity due to pregnancy toxicosis, observed up to 12 weeks, requires consultation with a gynecologist who will help you choose the right drinking regimen and diet to eliminate dehydration and minimize the consequences of vomiting in the first trimester.
Cloudy, light urine with whitish flakes in the later stages may indicate an increased protein content, which in some cases does not require any treatment if there are no other symptoms of gestosis.
Cloudiness of the fluid due to hormonal imbalance requires mandatory consultation with an endocrinologist , to whom the woman will be advised to go with the results of a blood test for hormones. As a rule, the color and transparency of the secreted fluid return to normal after the pregnant woman is prescribed appropriate treatment aimed at normalizing hormonal levels.
The fluid that is secreted by the kidneys is very individual in composition and depends on medications, food that the expectant mother eats, chronic diseases that are in the anamnesis, and many other reasons and factors. Treatment in each specific case is also prescribed individually.
Next, we recommend watching a video from which you will learn what the color of urine indicates.
Why is cloudy urine dangerous?
Any inflammatory process is dangerous for humans. A pregnant woman is responsible not only for her life, but also for the life of her unborn child. Infection in the acute stage can spread through the bloodstream throughout the body, thereby causing sepsis.
If the infection enters the fetus’s body, there is a risk of underdevelopment of individual organs and systems, disability or death of the fetus at any stage. If the immune system copes with microorganisms, in the future the child may have weak lungs, kidneys, and cardiovascular systems.
The longer a woman delays visiting a doctor, the more difficult the treatment will be. Antibiotics have no less effect on fetal development than infection.
What does the color of urine mean?
Bluish green
The presence of bluish-green urine usually occurs after the use of certain medications, such as vitamin complexes, laxatives, chemotherapy drugs and radiation itself. If you have not been on medication or undergoing chemotherapy but still find that your urine has turned a bluish-green color, then it is worth discussing this with your doctor.
Bright yellowish orange
This urine color may indicate excessive intake of vitamin C, beets, or citrus fruits. It can also be the result of taking certain medications, which can make your urine appear yellowish-orange.
Dark orange or brown
Having dark orange or brown urine can be a sign of a serious problem. This may mean that excess bile is being passed out in the urine. This will indicate a serious liver problem.
Pink or red
This color of urine sometimes occurs after eating red foods. But it can also indicate the presence of blood in the urine, which in turn means serious health problems such as internal injury, kidney problems, and sometimes cancer.
Cloudy urine is often associated with the presence of phosphates, which are associated with kidney stones. If this is accompanied by other symptoms, such as pain and burning when urinating or a constant urge to urinate, it may indicate a serious urinary tract infection that needs immediate medical attention.
In the evening
In the absence of pathologies, cloudy urine should not appear in the evening. In the evening, urine concentration decreases as a result of regular trips to the toilet and drinking large amounts of liquid.
If the appearance of cloudy urine is accompanied by difficulty urinating, pain in the lumbar region, frequent urge to go to the toilet and a constant feeling of fullness of the bladder, it is recommended to consult a therapist or gynecologist.
Advanced diseases of the genitourinary system or kidneys can cause serious complications during pregnancy . Untreated infections can negatively affect the development of the fetus, since mother and child have a common blood circulation, and some bacteria and viruses easily overcome the placental barrier.
What to do?
Further actions of the pregnant woman largely depend on the reasons that provoked the cloudiness of the urine. The main goal of therapy is to eliminate the negative impact factor. If the cause of deviations from the norm is an inflammatory process, therapeutic action should be aimed at eliminating it.
Pyelonephritis in pregnant women occurs in 7% of expectant mothers. The most serious complication of the pathology is renal failure. The occurrence of the disease is associated with hormonal characteristics and increased stress on the kidneys during pregnancy. To eliminate the inflammatory process, experts recommend the use of antibacterial drugs. The agents are selected taking into account the type of pathogenic bacteria. The woman’s special condition is taken into account, so a drug that is safe for the fetus is chosen.
Allowed:
- Ampicillin.
- Doxycycline.
- Cefazolin.
- Cefixime.
- Cefuroxime.
Therapy is combined with the use of uroantiseptics (Furagin).
For cystitis, pregnant women are often recommended to use medications in the form of tablets. The dosage is determined by the doctor individually for each patient.
- Causes of white sediment in a child's urine
Canephron is isolated as a safe antimicrobial agent. It is made on a plant basis, therefore it does not have a negative effect on the sensitive female body. The drug has a pronounced diuretic effect, eliminates spasm of the bladder walls.
For acute forms of cystitis that manifests itself during pregnancy, it is recommended to use antibiotics:
- Monural.
- Amoxiclav.
- Palin.
During treatment, women should adhere to dietary rules. It is necessary to exclude fermented milk products, sweets, all kinds of smoked foods and marinades from the diet. Read more about cystitis during pregnancy →
Cloudy urine during pregnancy can be observed due to the presence of an inflammatory process in the mother's body. The persistence of an unnatural color of urine, regardless of the stage of pregnancy, is a reason to visit a specialist. Additional diagnostic tests will help identify the cause of the pathological deviation. If the cause is an inflammatory process, treatment should be started immediately.
But often a change in the color of urine does not indicate the presence of any diseases. This may be due to the consumption of certain foods. In this case, to normalize the picture, it is enough to reconsider the diet.
What diseases are associated with cloudy urine?
Cloudy urine of a woman expecting a baby may indicate the development of a disease of the urinary system.
Cystitis
During her life, every second woman experiences bladder inflammation. This disease is called cystitis. Pregnancy increases the chance of developing the disease. And the reason for this is the anatomical structure of a woman’s urinary system. Moreover, the growing uterus interferes with the normal emptying of the bladder, which leads to stagnation of urine and the development of inflammation.
The disease is determined based on the passed OAM and accompanying symptoms:
- frequent painful urination;
- nagging pain in the lower abdomen;
- elevated temperature.
When a disease is detected, the doctor will select the necessary treatment for the woman expecting a child.
In pharmaceuticals, there are many herbal preparations, for example Monural, used to treat cystitis without threatening the life of the expectant mother and baby.
How to remove cloudy urine?
If cloudy urine during pregnancy is not due to pathological changes, then you should go on a salt-free diet. You will need to completely abstain from salt. If this condition cannot be met, then it is advisable to reduce the consumption of the product to a minimum amount. At the same time, throw out all pickles and salted fish from your diet.
If cloudy urine worries a woman throughout her pregnancy, but tests do not indicate inflammatory manifestations in the body, then it is worth drinking birch sap. It allows you to bring all indicators back to normal. The main thing is that it is recommended to drink it without adding sugar.
If turbidity appears in the urine due to an inflammatory process that has appeared in the bladder or kidneys, a different diet is required. It is necessary to include boiled meat, fish, eggs and raisins in the diet. It is allowed to eat apples, apricots and plums from fruits, and potatoes, carrots and beets from vegetables. When consuming the latter vegetable daily, the urine may have a dark tint; do not be alarmed by this.
Quite often, a changed color of urine does not indicate trouble. It’s just that a woman could consume large quantities of unwanted products. Therefore, she just needs to reconsider her diet and stick to the diet.
To preserve birch sap for a long time, it is filtered and poured into plastic containers. Store the product in the freezer. During defrosting, the product does not lose its beneficial properties.
