Causes of cloudy urine in a woman during pregnancy

A general clinical urine test is one of the tests that is most often monitored in pregnant women, as it is highly informative and quickly responds to the slightest changes in the health of the woman carrying a child. Based on the parameters obtained from this study, the condition of the pregnant woman can be assessed in detail.

One of the indicators that is determined first is transparency. Normally, urine should be clear. Deviations from the norm look like clouding of varying degrees. Decreased clarity is referred to in the study protocol as “slightly cloudy” or “cloudy” urine. This indicator is not sufficient for diagnosis, but it allows you to understand in which direction to look for the causes and what parameters to pay special attention to.

Normal transparency indicators

For people of any age and gender, completely clear urine is normal. However, during analysis, several cells of epithelial tissue can be visualized in the field of view - this value is not considered pathological.

The body of a woman carrying a child is rebuilt, and many of its functions undergo changes. A slight excess of salts, which are normally present in urine, in pregnant women is completely spent on the construction of bone and cartilaginous structures of the fetus. Therefore, in pregnant women, normal urine is initially characterized by complete transparency, unaltered by urates, phosphates and oxalates.

Changes in transparency during different periods of gestation indicate possible problems, but they should only be interpreted by a qualified specialist, because normal urine values ​​in pregnant women do not always coincide with the standard ones.

During pregnancy, turbidity may be due to the presence of the following substances:

• pus;
• epithelium and mucus;
• phosphates, calcium salts, urates, oxalates;
• red blood cells;
• bacteria and their metabolic products.

What does cloudy urine mean during pregnancy?

The quality and quantity of your urine largely depends on your health, what you eat, your vitamin intake, and your overall lifestyle. However, to better understand what's going on in your body and distinguish between abnormal signs, you need to know what urine looks and smells like in a healthy person. If you have a good understanding of unusual symptoms, you will be able to explain them to your doctor.

What causes physiological turbidity in urine?

In pregnant women, causes of deterioration in transparency caused by changes in physiology are much more common than in all other people. During this period, a woman’s diet has a more pronounced effect on urine parameters.

Turbidity can develop due to certain eating and drinking habits:

• Significant consumption of cocoa, chocolate or natural coffee leads to an increase in the amount of oxalates. This usually happens during the first months, when oxalates are not yet fully involved in the construction of the elements of the child’s musculoskeletal system.
• Spinach, tomatoes and sorrel can also change the salinity to a level that irritates the epithelial surfaces of the ureter, making them more vulnerable to attack by various microorganisms.
• Excess animal proteins in the diet can cause a shift in the homeostasis of physiological fluids towards uraturia. In the presence of a large amount of urate, urine acquires a pronounced brick color, which impairs transparency.
• Dishes based on beets can give urine a red tint, and light-colored grape berries can lead to a white color.

All these changes can be easily corrected by correct selection of diet. It must be remembered that pregnant women need to avoid excessive consumption of any one product and eat a balanced and varied diet. Sometimes, when the urine becomes cloudy, a salt-free diet is prescribed. Among the folk remedies, natural birch sap without added sugar helps improve the characteristics of urine.

When visiting the toilet in the morning, you should not be alarmed by the deterioration of transparency, since during the night the concentration of urine increases, which gives the color richness.

We must not forget that at the very latest, starting from the 38th week, copious mucus may be part of the plug, which comes off when the cervix dilates.

Treatment and preventive measures

Before urine becomes clear again, the patient will need to undergo tests. If the urinary fluid becomes cloudy as a result of vitamins taken or food eaten, then biological material should be re-collected for analysis and provoking factors should be excluded. If during pregnancy the urine becomes cloudy for other reasons, then you need to undergo a course of treatment prescribed by the doctor, which often includes taking approved medications and folk remedies. Prevention consists of unquestioningly following doctor's orders, maintaining a diet, personal hygiene and avoiding stressful situations.

During pregnancy, you will have to take urine tests more than once. Urinalysis is important; it helps identify diseases at an early stage. If you have cloudy urine during pregnancy

, you should immediately consult a doctor. Turbid urine during pregnancy may contain urates, oxalates, calcium, red blood cells, and white blood cells.

The balance of all these elements determines the health of the pregnant woman and the fetus. During pregnancy, the amount of salts in a pregnant woman's urine decreases significantly. This is easy to explain, since the formation of the child’s skeleton occurs, and phosphates are involved in the formation of milk. Therefore, if salts in the urine increase, damage to the kidneys, other organs of the genitourinary system, or hormonal imbalance can be suspected. Cloudy urine during pregnancy can occur with any acidity. Normal urine values ​​are from 4.5 to 8 pH, but if the values ​​are deviated from the norm, then this is a signal of kidney or thyroid disease. A woman may have problems with the kidneys or thyroid gland before pregnancy; the doctor should be aware of this already during the first consultation (at. If the acidity of the urine decreases sharply, this indicates a lack of potassium in the body, an increase in temperature ().

Cloudy urine during different periods of pregnancy

Factors that provoke the appearance of cloudy urine during pregnancy can be caused by inflammatory processes, dysfunction of urinary structures, genetic characteristics and hereditary diseases. Those who suffer from chronic diseases need to be especially attentive to their health during this period, since pregnancy often aggravates existing problems in the body.

In the early stages

In the first trimester, many women experience toxicosis, aggravated by morning attacks of nausea. In the most severe cases, nausea continues around the clock, worsening after meals. Vomiting leads to moderate or severe dehydration, preventing the body from fully saturating the body with fluid and negatively affecting well-being. During toxicosis and the dehydration provoked by it, an increase in turbidity is observed due to the increased concentration of salt compounds.

If turbidity occurs during the first three months due to the excessive presence of protein with levels exceeding 300 mg per day, this may indicate pathological changes in the kidneys and renal structures.

In addition, cloudy urine in the first trimester may mean that an inflammatory process begins in the urinary system, which so far continues in a latent form without other obvious symptoms. This is how cystitis, pyelonephritis, urethritis and other inflammatory diseases can manifest themselves.

If a woman had chronic pyelonephritis before pregnancy, then in the first months of pregnancy it is highly likely that it may become acute due to the constantly increasing load on the kidneys.

In the second trimester

From the third to the sixth month of intrauterine development, the fetus intensively increases in size, which proportionally increases the amount of its waste products. All these products are excreted through the maternal excretory system, so transparency becomes not only an indicator of the health of the mother, but also an indicator of the condition of the fetus to an even greater extent than in the early stages. Less and less salts are excreted through urine, ensuring its transparency, since they are actively consumed as building material when increasing the skeletal mass of the child.

In the third trimester

At this stage, most women begin to experience severe attacks of heartburn, which they usually try to combat by drinking soda dissolved in water or large amounts of alkaline mineral water. Minerals that are naturally utilized by the mother's kidneys inevitably change the turbidity value.

By the 36th week, the pelvic organs have shifted significantly due to the fact that the enlarged uterus takes up a lot of space. At the same time, the bladder experiences strong pressure and is forced beyond its usual limits. At this time, the patency of the lumen of the ureter may be impaired, which can also change the transparency of urine.

The most dangerous cause of cloudy urine in the third trimester is the onset of gestosis - late toxicosis. This specific disease that develops during pregnancy poses a threat to the health and life of both the mother and the fetus. In order not to miss this dangerous change, in the later stages general clinical tests are monitored much more often than in the first and second trimesters.

Common Causes of Cloudy Urine

Malfunctions in the body can occur at any stage of pregnancy, which is reflected in the indicators of general clinical tests.

The causes of cloudy urine can be the following factors:

• An increase in salt concentration is a signal of genitourinary dysfunction. Such impurities consist of urates, phosphates, calcium compounds, and oxalates. In addition to the suspended state, they can be present in the form of significant sediment, which can cause the formation of stones and sand in the kidneys, promote inflammatory processes in the urinary system, which negatively affects the health of mother and baby.
• Red blood cells appear in urine after overwork or excessive physical exertion. If this is the reason, then good rest and good sleep are enough to restore normal parameters. In addition, red blood cells can cause turbidity in pyelitis, glomerulonephritis, nephritis, severe gestosis, and these conditions require urgent treatment in a hospital setting.
• Lymph gives the urine a cloudy, milky tint. This happens when the lymphatic and urinary tracts mix their contents in small volumes.
• The presence of bacteria is the main sign of infection of the genitourinary system and pathologies such as pyelonephritis or cystitis. Most often this is accompanied by an increase in white blood cells and an unpleasant odor.
• Leukocytes in increased numbers are an indicator of renal and genitourinary inflammation, initiating urolithiasis, cystitis, etc. Leukocyturia is also observed with tuberculosis or renal amyloidosis, with glomerulonephritis.
• The epithelium gives urine an opaque turbidity. Epithelial cells enter physiological fluids from the epithelium during inflammation of the mucous membranes of the excretory system.
• Protein - because of it, the analyzed liquid has a whitish opalescent color. In the early stages of pregnancy, this occurs due to renal dysfunction, and in the later stages - due to gestosis.
• Change in acidity . A decrease in pH to the acidic side indicates kidney problems or thyroid dysfunction. An increase in pH levels occurs with potassium deficiency or at high temperatures.

Turbid urine during diagnosis draws attention to the need to check biochemical and physical parameters and look for the cause, carefully examining other indicators.

In the video below, the doctor explains in detail how to minimize the risk of infection of the genitourinary system during pregnancy.

What affects the condition of urine?

Surely few people know that the first sign of pregnancy is cloudy urine. The symptom appears when the amount of salts in it increases against the background of hormonal adjustments. Changes in the color of urine can occur due to poor nutrition, when predominantly salty, spicy and protein foods are consumed. In this regard, large quantities of urates, oxalates and phosphates are formed in the urinary fluid, which make the urine cloudy. Stones are dangerous not because of a change in the color of urine, but because they are the main cause for the development of inflammatory kidney diseases.

Changes in urine may appear if the expectant mother has eaten grapes or eaten beets, then the urine will take on a reddish tint or even turn white. Cloudy urine in pregnant women is quite often observed due to insufficient fluid intake. Each person, including pregnant women, should drink at least 1.5 liters of water per day, this volume includes compotes, teas, decoctions and fruit drinks. Urine undergoes changes during pregnancy and as a result of taking pharmaceuticals and vitamins. Sediment in the urine of pregnant women often indicates various diseases. Therefore, if turbidity persists for 2-3 days, then in order to avoid serious pathologies you should contact a medical facility.

Changes in the body during pregnancy

When pregnancy occurs, significant changes occur in the expectant mother already in the early stages. The hormonal background undergoes strong transformations, but in addition to this, the kidneys significantly increase in size and the ureters expand. In order to thoroughly filter out toxins from food or medications entering the body, the kidneys begin to function doubly. It is not surprising that this is reflected in urine indicators.

Sterile urinary fluid should be clear, and if it has sediment or flakes, then the pregnant woman should be concerned. If there is white sediment in the urine, this indicates protein or penetration of vaginal discharge into the biological material. To avoid foreign impurities, you need to use the 2nd portion of urine, and close the vaginal opening with a cotton swab.

In the early and late stages of gestation, cloudy urine may indicate the presence of foci of inflammation in the body. Turbidity of excrement excreted by the kidneys can also be observed in the presence of lymph. To ease the course of labor and prevent pathologies during intrauterine development of the fetus, it is important not to self-medicate, but to immediately contact specialists and undergo all necessary laboratory tests.

Reasons for early appearance

Cloudy urine may appear during pregnancy in the first trimester as a result of significant changes in diet. With toxicosis, the expectant mother does not want to eat food in usual quantities, portions become smaller and taste preferences change, the woman drinks less liquid. The result is that urine acquires a concentrated hue and loses transparency.

The reasons for cloudy urine also lie in food, so excessive consumption of dairy products, chocolate, cocoa and strong tea can affect its transparency. When alkali enters the body in large quantities, it also leads to clouding of biological material. They add cloudiness and urates, which occur in women who indulge in meat dishes. In the early stages, urine may be cloudy if the expectant mother collected it incorrectly, namely, did not toilet the genital area, but released the first portion of urine into the container.

How to eliminate errors when collecting urine

In order to have reliable data after receiving the results and not worry about possible errors, you must follow the rules for collecting urine for analysis.

The sample must be freshly collected. If this condition cannot be met, then in rare cases it is possible to store the sample in the refrigerator. Cooling often provokes temporary precipitation and cloudiness, which disappears when heated to body temperature, so you should not take it as an alarming signal.

In order to prevent unwanted impurities that cause turbidity from entering the sample, before collecting urine it is necessary to wash the genitals without soap or other cosmetics. The first portion must be discarded, and the rest must be collected in a container and delivered to the laboratory.

Carrying out diagnostics

To make a correct diagnosis, you need to conduct an examination.

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Pink urine

Diagnosis for a poor urine test includes:

• antibiotic sensitivity testing;
• analysis according to Nechiporenko and Zimnitsky;
• general and biochemical urine analysis;
• Ultrasound of the bladder and kidneys.
• bacterial culture.

Kidney ultrasound

If other diseases are suspected, the range of examinations will be expanded.

Dangers to the pregnant woman and fetus

If an expectant mother discovers that her urine has become cloudier than usual, she should immediately contact her gynecologist, who will help determine the reasons. He will conduct a survey during which he will find out:

• whether there is pain in the lower abdomen;
• is there any burning or painful sensations during urination;
• what is the body temperature of a pregnant woman;
• Are the pains in the back and lower back bothering you?

If, after a survey and detailed tests, the gynecologist determines that the cause of cloudy urine during pregnancy was a specific diet and lifestyle, he will advise you to correct them. This is the simplest measure that will quickly return all indicators to normal without the slightest damage to the health of mother and child.

If the information received indicates health problems related to gynecology, the woman will undergo treatment under the guidance of a gynecologist. If tests indicate the presence of renal pathologies or malfunctions of the endocrine system, treatment will be carried out by a nephrologist or endocrinologist.

It is important to remember that with timely treatment carried out in accordance with the perinatal period, there will be no danger to the health of the mother and fetus. Therefore, it is so important not to skip systematic studies of general clinical urine parameters, the direction for which is issued by the local gynecologist.

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.

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.