The following advice can assist you in avoiding a bad urine odor while pregnant.
Drink six to eight glasses, or 1.5 to 2 liters of water or other fluids every day. Consuming sufficient fluids can prevent dehydration and foul-smelling urine (5).
Maintain good hygiene to help prevent foul smells. For example, bathing regularly, wiping from front to back each time after peeing, using mild, non-fragrant soaps to clean the genitals, etc., can protect the vagina from infections and foul smells.
Caution Avoid douching to clean the vagina. It may disturb the vaginal pH and bacterial flora and make it prone to infection
Anecdotal evidence suggests that cranberry juice and apple cider vinegar can help acidify the urine, reducing the foul smell from the urine.
Empty the urinary bladder frequently to prevent urinary stasis, which can lead to an increased risk of UTIs and bad odor.
Avoid multiple sex partners and intercourse without male latex condoms to help prevent UTIs or sexually transmitted infections (STIs) that may cause smelly urine.
Probiotics are considered to be beneficial in promoting vaginal health for women. According to some clinical studies, consuming probiotics can help cure bacterial vaginitis and reduce its recurrence (6).
Quick tip Anecdotal evidence says lemon water helps increase urine output. It also helps to prevent kidney stones
After menopause, many women develop postmenopausal atrophic vaginitis. This results in inflammation and thinning of your vaginal wall. Due to your increased risk of urinary incontinence, the area around your vagina might begin to smell like ammonia. Additionally, it raises your chance of getting vaginal infections like bacterial vaginosis.
A 2014 study also found that pregnant women report an increased sense of smell during their first trimester. That means you may just be noticing the normal smell of your urine.
Every vagina has its own odor. Most women say it smells musky or slightly sour, which are both acceptable descriptions. While bacteria are typically to blame for vaginal odors, sometimes your urine can also have an impact on the odor.
While some cases of bacterial vaginosis resolve on their own, other cases necessitate antibiotic treatment. By refraining from douching, which can disturb the balance of good and bad bacteria in your vagina, you can lower your risk of contracting bacterial vaginosis. Consistent condom use can also lower your risk of bacterial vaginosis.
Your urine is a mixture of water and waste materials, such as urea. The waste products in your urine are more concentrated when you’re dehydrated. As a result, your urine may smell strongly of ammonia and appear darker. You might detect a lingering ammonia smell after this urine dries on your skin or underclothes.
Causes Of Smelly Urine During Pregnancy
The following are typical reasons why pregnant women’s urine may smell.
Heightened sense of smell: It is believed that pregnancy might increase sensitivity to odors, also known as hyperosmia. Ammonia is naturally present in urine, but the smell is usually not strong. Due to the increased sense of smell in pregnancy, you can notice a bad odor. However, there is no medical evidence to establish a connection between increased olfactory response and pregnancy (1).
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Urinary infections: Urinary tract infection is a bacterial inflammation in the urinary tract and is common in pregnancy. Urinary tract infections can cause cloudy urine, which smells foul or unusual (2).
Bacterial infections: Bacterial vaginosis or vaginitis is a vaginal infection caused by the overgrowth of bacteria. It may lead to a burning sensation and foul smell while peeing (3).
Diet: You may have weird food cravings in pregnancy. Certain foods, including cauliflower, broccoli, asparagus, garlic, coffee, and beer, can give the urine a temporary, strong odor (4).
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Supplements: Certain medications, vitamins, minerals, etc., can cause an unpleasant urine odor. However, do not stop the medicines without consulting your doctor (4).
Dehydration: You should consume enough water for both your and the baby’s well-being. Otherwise, dehydration in pregnancy may lead to foul-smelling urine (5).
