You are probably wondering right now if bright yellow urine is an early pregnancy sign. While several symptoms may serve as proof for early-stage pregnancy, pale yellow urine coloring is primarily caused by pigment urochrome (urobilin)1.
In this article, we shall be briefing you on the signs of early pregnancy, causes of urine color change from pale-yellow color (bright yellow pee) to deep amber, how to know if you are pregnant, things to look out for when you feel that you may be pregnant, when to see your doctor, and many other pregnancy tips.
Table of Contents
What does bright yellow urine mean?
Bright Yellow Urine, also known as Neon Pee, or Bright Yellow Pee, is a urine color resulting as a sign of excess food dietary and Vitamins in the body. It is also caused by the type of medication we take in, dehydration, and some medical conditions on rare occasions.
Although the Neon pee is often harmless, it drags most women’s attention, especially those expecting pregnancy, as anecdotal evidence suggests without scientific proof.
Bright Yellow Urine an Early Pregnancy Sign (The Myth)
Anecdotal evidence that has lingered for ages creates the notion that bright yellow urine is an early pregnancy symptom. This has no scientific backup, yet different pregnant women from several online forums like Quora, Reddit, and others argued otherwise.
Medical research has highlighted other scientifically proven factors that may cause bright yellow pee; according to this research, it is said that bright yellow urine is mainly caused by a high intake of prenatal vitamins (Vitamin B-2, B-12, and Vitamin C) and maybe as a matter of coincidence, women who are already pregnant possibly start to notice a bright yellowish change in their urine color; in this regard, they term it an early sign of pregnancy whereas, it was these after-effects of prenatal vitamin that is at play.
Having seen these, most pregnant women insist on their old belief that the majority of them never experienced Neon pee (Bright yellow pee) before pregnancy, even as they often take the vitamins.
In our opinion, until there exists scientific evidence supporting this claim, it is still a myth to say that bright yellow pee is an early pregnancy sign. So, we maintain that neo pee may or may not be a symptom of early pregnancy. And advise every woman experiencing urine coloration to seek a healthcare specialist’s opinion, perform the necessary tests before arriving at any conclusion.
Bright Yellow Urine (Scientific Overview & Roles it plays for a Pregnancy expectation)
From the past, even till now, it has been believed that bright yellow pee is an early sign of pregnancy. The 2015 research published by the National Institute of Health (NIH)2 reported that Urine color changes as an indicator of change as per individual daily water intake level; there haven’t been any conclusive scientific research that confirms that bright yellow urine color is a clear sign of early pregnancy.
Aside from having to use medically approved methods to confirm the state of your body system and pregnancy report, every other early pregnancy signs like vomiting, having constant Neon pee, fatigue, early morning sickness, swollen and tender breasts should probably be given immediate health attention and not tagging it to pregnancy without a clear test confirmation from a specialist to justify these symptoms. We shall highlight more of the early pregnancy symptoms as we progress with this article – while some are anecdotal beliefs, others have backed scientific proof.
Although, the doctors or lab attendants will either request your blood, urine samples, or both to test and confirm the state of things at the laboratory. They can also use the over-the-counter pregnancy test kits to get you a quickie result or ask you to take the test tube home with directions on how to perform the pregnancy test yourself at home. These are scientifically proven approaches to ensure that your pregnancy result tests positive or negative with a highly accurate report. Whether or not you are embracing the myths and tales or performing the test by yourself at home, always seek the counsel of doctors or your healthcare specialist before reaching any conclusion.
The 2015 research has proven that bright yellow urine might not only signify that you are pregnant, but it could also be symptoms of other illnesses or, more still, it’s just a result of your level of water intake.
Let us briefly explain to you some of the causes of bright yellow urine so you can know when you are expecting pregnancy and otherwise.
Causes of Bright Yellow Urine (Medically proven)
As we have pointed out significantly above that, pale or bright yellow urine may not only mean an early sign that you are pregnant, it could mean other things that should require health concerns. This is why we always recommend that you talk with your doctor before reaching any self-made conclusions. However, we wouldn’t want to pull up a debate if bright yellow urine is an early pregnancy sign or not since there is no scientific proof yet; we would love to highlight several factors that can influence the color of your urine and what you may look out for.
Dietary Factors (Food intake)
The type of diet you take can play a significant role in your urine color. Food dye, Vitamins, Minerals you consume will be a deciding factor if your urine color would be pale yellow, bright, dark, or thickened orange. Let us explain
When you eat heavily processed foods, they often contain high amounts of food dye, which will interact with the pigment to form a different color in your system. Also, natural foods such as beets and berries associate with pigments and change your urine color.
Some individuals like to consume meal replacement shakes in high amounts; these foods are also highly fortified with B vitamins which will definitely show results of your intake while you pee. Expect to see bright yellow urine.
According to an article by Health.Harvard.edu 3 on urine color and diseases, they reported that Vitamin B-2 (riboflavin) and B-12 (cobalamin) intake causes fluorescent yellow-green urine.
If you also like to take multivitamins or supplements, you should always expect brightly colored urine even when you aren’t expecting any pregnancy.
How about Vitamin C intakes? Do they have a play in your bright yellow urine color? Yes, they do have a high impact on your urine’s nature after intake. Taking excess beta carotene may lead to pale dark yellow, bright yellow, or orange urine. These Vitamins are found in citrus fruits such as broccoli, tomatoes, and strawberries. And also in orange and yellow foods such as squash, sweet potatoes, carrots, etc.
In a nutshell, if you take too many vitamins, especially the Vitamin B and C series, which are packed with extra Beta carotene, they aren’t stored for later use; rather, they find a way out of your body through your urine. That’s how your body gets rid of these excess vitamins, resulting in bright yellow urine (Neon Pee).
Medical conditions
When your urine color changes to bright yellow or any other color and brings out a thick abnormal urine odor, then there is every chance that you may be having infections with your liver, bladder, or kidney. Talk with your doctor as soon as you notice that your bright yellow urine comes out with an accompanying abnormal odor. Do not just assume that it’s probably a sign of pregnancy – your doctor or health specialist should be able to recommend the necessary test for you. And after which, they would guide you better with the results from the tests you’ve carried out.
Dehydration after workout
It is often advised that one should hydrate oneself properly after exercise or workout. When you don’t have adequate hydration after observing extreme training to replace the lost energies, it makes your urine darker (peeing tea-colored urine or cola-colored urine). It may cause your muscles to break down with severe pain. Always seek medical attention when you notice symptoms such as this.
Medications
Prescription medications done over-the-counter (such as laxatives, antibiotics, and some chemotherapy drugs used in the treatment of cancer) can also make your urine color appear bright or pale yellow.
Aside from antibiotics and laxatives that many go to buy over-the-counter, some also buy rifampin, pain-relief drug phenazopyridine, and other medication used to treat urinary tract infections (UTIs). All these medications have a common side effect of bright orange color urine.
So before concluding that the bright yellow urine you pee out is a sign of early pregnancy, check yourself and be sure that you haven’t been abusing some of these medications and patronizing over-the-counter prescriptions without proper consultation from a healthcare specialist.
Pregnancy
This is probably the major focus that brought us to this article, as many searches seek to know if bright yellow urine is an early pregnancy sign. We have elaborated this question with several bullet points owning that it is still a myth (anecdotal evidence) as there is yet no scientific data to back up the claim.
Does Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) cause a change in Urine color?
No, Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) does not cause a change in Urine color. HCG is known as Pregnancy hormone – a hormone produced during pregnancy used mainly to treat fertility issues, and it does not affect the color of your urine. Although some healthcare specialists may recommend this medication or products that contain it, it is not advised that you get one over-the-counter without prior direction.
How to know if you are pregnant without a test
While the best approach to confirm that you may be pregnant is by performing a pregnancy test either by yourself using a pregnancy test kit or visiting a nearby heath Centre to get examined, many women still look for a sit-at-home remedy to knowing that they are pregnant. While many mothers have learned how to confirm pregnancy without taking a test, young would-be mothers keep searching for more comprehensive knowledge too.
Nonetheless, most persons never get to know that they are pregnant until they start having some changes and reactions on their bodies. Most of these body changes might not necessarily mean that you are pregnant, even though anecdotal evidence has proved over time that it does mean.
Let us highlight 17 symptoms according to myths and science that will tell you if you are pregnant without test:
- Early morning and midnight fever
- Constant vomiting within the first 3weeks of fertilization
- Spotting and irregular menstrual flow within a month
- Missing periods can also mean that you are pregnant
- Loss of appetite and feeling full most times within the first few weeks of early pregnancy
- Sore breasts are also an early sign of pregnancy. In this case, your breast becomes fuller, and your nipples are very sensitive to touch.
- Frequent urination than normal
- Back pains may also signal that you may be pregnant.
- Unusual mood swing is another report that many mothers have given as a sign of early pregnancy.
- You may start having some food cravings.
- Urine changes to bright yellow color.
- Low sex drives in the early stages of pregnancy in some women. It is also reported that some women crave high sex during this period.
- Pimples start coming out more frequently, and you begin noticing Red veins across the skin.
- Feeling dizzy and lacking the ability to sleep also explains that you may be pregnant without performing any test.
- Dry and itching skin may also be a sign of early pregnancy
- Discoloration, medically known as melisma, is also a bullet point to look out for an early pregnancy.
- Your gums become sensitive and may bleed at every slightest touch.
What color is pregnancy urine?
The Urine Color During Pregnancy is sunny yellow or bright yellow. Although you might experience several urine color changes even while pregnant, it does not necessarily call for alarm unless an awful urine odor accompanies the color change. Research has shown that a dehydrated pregnant woman may likely experience dark urine during pregnancy because of their several cravings; if not monitored, it may result in more complicated trouble before or during childbirth.
When you realize that your urine has changed color away from the pregnancy urine color, maybe it is now dark- or tea-color, increase your water intake and the frequency to keep your body and pregnancy duly hydrated. Also, be observant of any blood in your urine to know when it calls for an immediate health concern.
If your urine color doesn’t return to the normal pregnancy urine after observing this procedure for a few days, do not hesitate to speak with your family doctor on your next visit.
Keep track of everything you eat within this period, as your doctor may request a list of the food you were taking before the change in urine to dark or off pregnancy urine color. Your doctor should recommend a new pregnancy food to change your routine and know if the urine color will get corrected after performing all necessary tests.
Abnormal urine color during pregnancy (When to see your doctor and What to expect)
Like we said above, when you notice certain abnormalities in your urine during pregnancy (e.g., continued pregnancy, urine change from sunny yellow to maybe dark or reddish color.) If the urine color depicts red, there may likely be some blood flow and thus should require your doctor’s attention immediately.
These are a few questions your doctor may require an answer from you before recommending the kind of test you should run:
- When was the first time you noticed a change in urine color before pregnancy?
- After your first notice, did it later return to the normal color? How long?
- How about since you got pregnant, how have urine color been? Is there any regular change?
- Do you smoke or have a past history of smoking?
- What are the prenatal medications and supplements you have been taken?
- Your diet of late, how is your routine? Do you observe any FODMAP diet plan?
- Do you have rashes anywhere around your body?
- Do you have any history of vision impairment?
- Since you noticed that you’re pregnant, how has your exercise routine been?
- Do you drink enough water? What is your average drink a day after exercise?
- Have you ever noticed black specks in your stool?
- How often do you go for bodywork? Do you experience a headache after a body massage?
- Do you have enough sleep? How has your sleep pattern been of late?
- If you are already pregnant, they may likely ask you if it is your first pregnancy.
All these are a few of the many relative questions your doctor may likely ask you before recommending a test for you and furthering treatment. As a pregnant woman, you are battling a double life in you, so the doctor needs to be meticulous in handling every body system change.
Wrapping Up
On wrapping up, we believe that we have really dived deep into early signs of pregnancy and answered exhaustively few questions relating to urine color change with given examples and backed up scientific proof.
On answering the question: “is bright yellow urine an early pregnancy sign?” we said it is yet not proven by science. Still, anecdotal evidence from mothers who have revolved in experience over the years insists otherwise. They said it is a practical experience that has been reported from several pregnant women; therefore, this makes it true.
Dehydration is a major key player in urine coloration. So whenever you discover a dark-yellow pee color, it may be your body’s way of requesting that you drink up more water to keep it flowing and hydrated.
Suppose your urine changes color more often than usual, even while you drink enough water. In that case, it probably calls for health concerns, and you need to consult your doctor for proper healthcare advice immediately.
When you are expecting pregnancy or want to know if you are pregnant without going for a med test, get yourself these all-in-one Easy Home pregnancy & Ovulation test kits on Amazon to perform first-hand tests by yourself without going to an open lab. The test strips are FDA-approved and provide over 99% accurate results. The Easy@Home company is currently the best seller on Amazon, BestBuy, Walmart, and eBay on pregnancy test kits with the highest positive review.
Please, keep close range with your doctor when you notice changes in your body system even as you are expecting pregnancy or a baby.
Medical Disclaimer: All content and media on Healthweakness.com are created and published on the web for informational purposes only. It is never intended to substitute for professional medical advice and should not be relied on as health or personal advice. Always consult a professional healthcare specialist before taking any actions that probably concern your health.
Verifiable References- Urobilin, Metabolism, and Importance by Wikipedia[↩]
- Research by Erica T. Perrier, Lawrence E. Armstrong, Evan C. Johnson, Amy L. McKenzie, Lindsay A. Ellis on “Urine color changes as an indicator of change as per individual daily water intake level”[↩]
- Surprising factors influence urine color and odor including food and medication by Health Harvard Education[↩]
