Urinary urgency in pregnancy: what to know

Pregnancy can increase the need to urinate because the bladder has less room and the body handles fluid differently. Urgency alone may be a common pregnancy symptom, but it does not rule out infection. A urinary tract infection may cause urgency, burning, lower abdominal discomfort, cloudy urine, or an unusual smell; some people have few symptoms. Untreated infection can become more serious during pregnancy, so urinary changes should be discussed with the maternity or primary-care team.

Drink regularly rather than trying to manage urgency by becoming dehydrated. Reduce caffeine if it makes symptoms stronger, empty your bladder when you need to, and prevent constipation with pregnancy-appropriate advice. Contact your maternity team or clinician about new urgency, especially if it is accompanied by burning or a change in urine. Take only medicines recommended for pregnancy, and do not use someone else’s antibiotics.

Contact a clinician promptly for burning, fever, chills, back or side pain, blood in urine, vomiting, or feeling faint or unusually unwell. Seek urgent maternity advice for severe abdominal pain, vaginal bleeding, fluid leakage, regular tightening, or reduced fetal movement when applicable to your stage of pregnancy. A urine test can help distinguish expected urgency from infection.

Ask whether you need a urine test or culture, which symptoms require same-day advice, and which fluids, bladder strategies, and medicines are suitable in pregnancy. Tell them about any previous urinary infections and all medicines or supplements.