Published on May 12th, 2022 and Updated on February 29th, 2024
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Table of Contents
What causes urine color changes during pregnancy?
Abnormal Urine Color: When To Seek Treatment
Embark On A Healthy Pregnancy With the Help of SneakPeek
If you’ve been eagerly trying to conceive, you might find yourself closely monitoring your body for any signs of pregnancy, even down to the color of your urine.
Can early pregnancy really affect the color of your pee? Can changes in urine color provide insights into pregnancy symptoms?
Before you start searching for “what color is urine in early pregnancy” on Google, let’s set the record straight: the shade of your urine alone can’t definitively tell you if you’re pregnant. However, it’s essential to understand that urine color can be a valuable indicator of your overall health, and during pregnancy, it may reveal some crucial insights. In this blog, we’ll delve into the various factors that can cause changes in urine color, including the possibility of darker urine, ensuring you can confidently navigate the early stages of your pregnancy journey while staying informed about potential pregnancy symptoms.
What causes urine color changes during pregnancy?
Urine color is primarily related to your kidney activity. Your kidneys are the organs that filter blood, waste, and excess water to dispose of unnecessary substances and maintain your body’s internal balance of fluids.
Healthy urine leans pale yellow. When it doesn’t, there are usually three causes to blame: low hydration levels, prenatal supplements, and diet.
Dehydration
Dehydration occurs when your body doesn’t have sufficient fluids to maintain its normal level of functioning.
Water is the elemental substance of life, and bodies—particularly pregnant ones—are highly sensitive to changes in their moisture levels. For some people, dipping below even 1.5% of normal water levels can result in dehydration symptoms, including changes in urine color.1
If you’re dehydrated, you may notice a deeper yellow hue, as well as:2
- Thirst
- Dry mouth
- Restlessness or fatigue
- Headache
- Constipation
- Lightheadedness
Pregnant women are especially susceptible to underestimating how much water they need to stay hydrated, since they also have to account for the hydration needs of their babies.
The American Pregnancy Association recommends pregnant women drink at least 8–12 glasses of water per day to meet their daily needs.3 If you’re a pregnant woman and experience morning sickness, drink caffeine, or enjoy following exercise programs for pregnancy, you’ll want to up your water intake even further to make up for those losses and keep your baby safe.
Supplements
Prenatal vitamins are enormously beneficial for your growing baby, but no one mentioned that they can turn your urine neon green.
This is because prenatal vitamins are usually loaded with a slew of B vitamins, including folate (vitamin B9) to aid healthy neurological development. So, it’s common for urine to turn highlighter yellow or even bright green if you’ve been on a prenatal vitamin regimen. This is a sign that your body has absorbed the B vitamins both you and your baby need to stay healthy, and flushed the rest out with your urine.
Food
When your urine migrates to different precincts of the color wheel, like pink, it’s usually the result of something you ate—not a personal gender reveal!
Three foods usually lead to changes in urine color:
- Beets (pink or reddish urine)
- Rhubarb (pink or reddish urine)
- Carrots (light orange)
Foods rich in vitamin C may also affect urine color. If you’re a fan of kiwis, strawberries, or bell peppers, you may notice you have bright yellow urine (similar to vitamin B-tinted urine) or orange.
Finally, some foods contain artificial food dyes that can make their way into your urine. If you’re a fan of sweet breakfast cereals, it’s not uncommon to see some of those green or blue colors after you pee.
Abnormal Urine Color: When To Seek Treatment
While some changes to urine shade are normal, others may be your cue to consult your OBGYN or physician to rule out an underlying issue.
In pregnant women, there are two main underlying conditions that can cause your urine to look different: UTIs and kidney conditions.
UTIs
Developing a bladder or urinary tract infection is highly common in pregnant women, who have a higher risk of UTIs because of two simultaneous changes in their bodies:
- Urinary tract changes – Because of changes in your uterus, the tubes connecting your kidneys to your bladder enlarge. This can slow down the procession of urine through this channel (urinary stasis), or even cause urine to retreat back towards the kidneys. This is problematic because your urinary system is supposed to remove toxins and waste from your body. When the process is slowed, your body can’t rid itself of this waste. Also, the longer urine sits in your body, the more susceptible it is to bacterial growth, heightening your risk of a UTI.
- Urine composition changes – During pregnancy, hormonal changes cause your urine to become more concentrated and contain more proteins and sugars. These features make your urine more susceptible to bacterial growth, meaning you’re more likely to develop a UTI.
UTIs can cause urine to look cloudy white, or murky. You may even see a trace of blood turn up in your toilet bowl.
If your need to go to the bathroom is constant, but not accompanied by a significant passage of urine, it’s best to check in with your OBGYN or healthcare provider, especially if you’re also experiencing other UTI symptoms, such as burning or painful urination, pelvic or lower back pain, or fever.
With a doctor’s help, you can resolve your UTI as quickly as possible.
Kidney Conditions
In some cases, changes in your urine color can indicate a problem with your kidneys. There are two urine colors you may observe with a kidney condition:
- Dark orange or brown urine
- Bloody urine
It’s rare to notice your urine reach these shades when you’re pregnant, as they usually turn up when you’re an older adult or if your family has a history of kidney disease. That said, if you do see this color of dark urine, it’s important to call your healthcare provider immediately to protect you and your baby.
Urine Color Cheat Sheet: 7 Tips For Keeping Your Baby Happy And Hydrated
Changes in urination—either in the timing or the color —are common for pregnant women. Your body is going through a world of change, and you’re likely to see shifts as you carry your baby from trimester to trimester.
With that, it may be helpful to have this little cheat sheet to guide you along the way.
#1. Clear Urine: Go Easy On The Water
It’s a common belief that clear urine is the optimal color, but this isn’t always true. While clear urine isn’t necessarily unhealthy, it can indicate that you’re a little too hydrated, which can imbalance your body’s electrolytes and salt levels.
If your urine is consistently clear and never yellow, consider scaling back your water intake until a pale yellow color becomes your new norm—your baby will still get the hydration needed.
#2. Pale Yellow Urine: You’re Doing Great
Pale yellow is one of the optimal shades of normal urine. It means your urine is in good shape, as are your baby’s hydration levels.
#3. Honey Yellow: Step Up Your Water Intake
Yellow urine is within the normal range, but you could begin drinking slightly more fluids and still be in the safe zone.
To make drinking water more appetizing, try jazzing up your daily quota with fruity add-ins like lemon, limes, citrus fruits, and a pinch of pink Himalayan salt. Aside from the tasty bonus, you’ll also absorb some extra C vitamins to boost your and your baby’s immune systems.
#4. Pale Orange: Keep An Eye On It
If urine color crosses from yellow to orange, watch for if this phase shows up consistently. Pale orange urine could have to do with your water levels or be the result of a medication exiting your body. Drop a line to your provider if you spot orange urine to double check.
#5 Dark Urine: Drink More
Your urine color during pregnancy can become darker at any time, but it is more common to notice dark urine in the third trimester. This is because as your baby grows and puts pressure on your bladder, you may experience more frequent urination. With frequent trips to the bathroom, you’ll want to make sure you stay hydrated to avoid dark urine.
#6. White Or Opaque: Head In For A UTI Checkup
Milky or cloudy urine may indicate a UTI. It can also mean you’re overtaxing your kidneys by consuming too much protein, or that excessive levels of calcium or phosphate are making their way into your urine, which may indicate kidney malfunction.
Whatever the reason, whitish urine is a cue to pay a visit to your healthcare provider.
#7. Rose, Green, Or Blue: Switch Up Your Diet
If your urine color ranges far beyond the yellow sector of the color wheel, it may be time to revise your diet.
Beets and asparagus may tint your urine rose and green (respectively), but if their shade shifts from Easter egg hues towards more solid colors, it means you’re consuming too much of a good thing. Blue urine resulting from sugary, dyed snacks may be your cue to scale back your sugar intake.
Embark On A Healthy Pregnancy With the Help of SneakPeek
Being pregnant causes a host of changes to the woman’s body, and it’s normal to be hyper-sensitive to these attunements (pee color included!). This information should also be part of your checklists for what to expect when you’re expecting for dads.
With that, the more you can find out about your baby before and after she’s born, the more at ease you’ll be as you weather this first chapter of motherhood. To learn who exactly is growing in utero, try the SneakPeek At-Home Early Gender Blood Test to discover your baby’s gender as early as 6 weeks into your pregnancy—that’s months before your 20-week anatomy ultrasound!
In fact, ours is the only gender blood test capable of delivering gender results this early in pregnancy and with clinically-proven over 99% accuracy1, making SneakPeek Test the #1 OBGYN-recommended at-home gender test, trusted by over 1 million new moms.
Common Questions & Answers
Can pregnancy cause my urine to have a foul odor?
Yes, pregnancy can sometimes lead to changes in urine odor. This can be attributed to hormonal shifts and changes in your diet. However, if you notice a strong, unusual odor or other concerning symptoms, it’s advisable to consult your healthcare provider.
Is it normal to experience changes in urine color during pregnancy?
Yes, it’s relatively common to experience changes in urine color during pregnancy due to various factors like hormonal fluctuations, diet, and hydration levels. However, if you notice unusual or persistent changes, it’s a good idea to consult your healthcare provider for reassurance.
Does the time of day affect the color of my urine during pregnancy?
Yes, the time of day can impact urine color. Urine is usually more concentrated in the morning, which can result in a darker color. As the day progresses and you drink more fluids, it may become lighter in color.
Editorial Policy
At SneakPeek, our commitment is to provide accurate, up-to-date, and reliable information to empower our readers. Our content is thoroughly researched, reviewed by medical experts, and fact-checked to ensure its credibility. We prioritize the well-being and education of our readers, and our editorial policy adheres to the highest standards of integrity and accuracy in all our articles.
This post has been reviewed for accuracy by the following medical professional:
Katie Smith is a seasoned Certified Nurse Midwife and a nurturing mother to six children, offering a unique blend of professional expertise and personal experience. She is the founder of Birth Your Way Midwifery and Women’s Wellness Center in Bay County, Florida. Katie's comprehensive approach to care is informed by her hands-on experience in motherhood and her passion for empowering women through their birthing journey. Her dedication extends beyond her center as she actively engages in community wellness and family health education.
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- Healthline. Symptoms of Severe Dehydration During Pregnancy. https://www.healthline.com/health/pregnancy/dehydration#What-are-signs-of-dehydration-during-pregnancy?
- American Pregnancy. Dehydration During Pregnancy. https://americanpregnancy.org/womens-health/dehydration-pregnancy/
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- Livestrong. What Are the Side Effects of Prenatal Vitamins? https://www.livestrong.com/article/120637-side-effects-prenatal-vitamins/
- University of Michigan Health. Urinary Problems During Pregnancy. https://www.uofmhealth.org/health-library/tm6619
- National Library of Medicine. Urinary Tract Infection In Pregnancy. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK537047/
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- Medical News Today. 12 benefits of lime water. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322556#12-benefits-of-lime-water
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SneakPeek aims to provide the most accurate and up-to-date information to help our readers make informed decisions regarding their health before, during, and after pregnancy. This article was written based upon trusted scientific research studies and/or articles. Credible information sources for this article are cited and hyperlinked.
