Pregnancy Symptoms: Frequent Urination

If this is your first pregnancy, you may begin wondering why you're taking frequent trips to the bathroom. While each pregnancy will vary in signs and symptoms, frequent urination is common among many women. Frequent urination can also indicate a bladder infection, so be sure to check with your doctor for an accurate diagnosis. There are several reasons you may feel an increased need to urinate during pregnancy, including:

• The pregnancy hormone human chrionic gonadotropin (hCG) which increases blood flow to your pelvic area and the amount of fluid passing through your kidneys and thus, your bladder.
• Your bladder begins to swell after conception to make more room for the baby.
• As your baby grows, he or she will take up more space in your pelvic cavity, which will put more pressure on your bladder.

Coping with Frequent Urination

To help minimize the number of trips to the bathroom, try cutting back on beverages such as coffee and tea (and of course, you should not be drinking alcohol). These beverages have diuretic effects which cause your body to expell more water than it retains, resulting in more frequent urination and dehydration if you're not careful. For nighttime relief, try cutting back on fluids several hours before you go to bed.

Frequent urination is a pregnancy symptom sometimes experienced even before that first missed period. Some pregnancy symptoms are inevitable, but consider this a part of the unique experience of being pregnant!